Background of the conflict

Delegates South Sudan may be the world’s youngest country, but the region has a long
history of conflict – and of peace.

South Sudan gained independence in July 2011, after over 20 years of civil war. The
optimism that greeted the country’s birth was shattered in 2013 when political disagreement
within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) plunged the country into conflict.
The internal power struggle triggered political, inter-ethnic and inter-communal violence.

The violence is widespread, reaching almost every state in the country. The marginalization
of different groups, ethnic rivalries, and poor governance are all factors which continue to
drive conflict, and misinformation about ethnically motivated attacks and counter-attacks
reinforce distrust.

Numerous attempts have been made to broker peace. In June 2018, mounting international
pressure on the South Sudanese government resulted in a ceasefire and the signing of a
power-sharing agreement between opposing political groups. A lack of political will to
progress the implementation of the agreement has led to delays, but the step towards peace
has infused new life and hope among South Sudanese communities.

Our work in South Sudan

The conflict in South Sudan has displaced more than 3.9 million people, and Uganda alone is
hosting more than one million South Sudanese refugees – the majority of them women and
children.

So far, displaced women have been excluded from efforts to build peace - both in South
Sudan, and within the refugee camps where ethnic polarization and stereotyping continue to
cause conflicts.

However, their experiences mean they can and should play an important role in
peacebuilding. Alongside a network of women’s grassroots organisations, we’re training
internally displaced and refugee women in how to analyse and resolve conflict, and to build
relationships and networks to influence policy at a local, state and national level.

national level.