UN and Aid Agencies Issue a $1.2 Billion Appeal for South Sudanese Refugees

The United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, and 102 humanitarian and development organizations are requesting $1.2 billion to assist 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees and communities hosting them in five countries.

Nearly 4 million South Sudanese have escaped nearly a decade of civil conflict and an unfulfilled peace pact, and they are either still in South Sudan or have become refugees in neighboring countries.

The South Sudan refugee crisis is Africa’s greatest, and the response is one of the least funded humanitarian missions in the world. 2.3 million people are thought to have fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.

While appreciating their compassion, UN refugee spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh notes that those nations are underdeveloped, have many of the same issues as South Sudan, and cannot afford to care for large numbers of needy refugees.

“South Sudan is still dealing with intermittent conflict, persistent food shortages, and the devastation caused by massive floods.” People’s resources have also been taxed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. … “Asylum nations face comparable pressures from the climate catastrophe and the epidemic, yet they have continued to welcome migrants,” he added.

According to Saltmarsh, the host nations need assistance to provide food, housing, and critical services like education and health care.

According to the UN, women and girls in South Sudan face gender-based violence, rape, and conflict-related sexual assault. According to Saltmarsh, the UNHCR and its partners will expand initiatives to prevent and react to gender-based violence. Victims of abuse will get mental health and psychosocial treatment from them.

“This comes on the heels of an alarming increase in reports of depression over the previous year, particularly among refugees in Kenya and Uganda.” Of course, it is still a children’s tragedy, with two out of every three South Sudanese refugees being under the age of 18. “Funding is necessary for child protection, including birth registration and family reunion,” he said.

Saltmarsh admits that competition for limited resources is severe. He observes that the worldwide attention and reaction to the conflict in Ukraine is tremendous. He believes it is reasonable considering the magnitude of the problem. He does, however, emphasize the need to remember the situation of South Sudanese refugees.