Statement
UNFPA calls for peace and humanitarian support in South Sudan
04 April 2025
UNFPA expresses deep concern over the rising political tensions in South Sudan and calls upon all political leaders to prioritize peace, stability, and the well-being of the people in need.
With more than 9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance — including 2.4 million women of reproductive age — the lives, health, and dignity of women and girls hang in the balance. UNFPA is gravely concerned about the heightened risks of gender-based violence, including sexual violence and forced early marriage; conflict-related sexual violence; and the disruption of essential sexual and reproductive health services.
Over two-thirds of the population now depends on humanitarian aid, while funding for essential services is drying up.
The escalating tensions further exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where communities are grappling with limited or no access to essential health services including maternal, sexual and reproductive healthcare; as well as widespread food insecurity and mass displacement. The ongoing instability threatens to derail humanitarian response, making it even more difficult to deliver critical services to those in need.
UNFPA stands ready to support efforts to ensure that women and girls have access to lifesaving gender based violence prevention and response and sexual and reproductive health services. On the front lines, UNFPA is in the violence stricken-town of Nasir and remote and hard-to-reach areas, ready to deploy essential sanitation items and health supplies. Meanwhile, UNFPA-supported health facilities in Akobo, Malakal, Wau, Mingkaman, and Juba are delivering a bundle of critical supplies that includes equipment and medicines for safe deliveries, contraception and support for survivors of rape.
We call on all actors to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, allowing partners to provide much-needed assistance. The international community must also step up its support to South Sudan, reinforcing humanitarian efforts and ensuring that resources reach the most vulnerable populations.
At this critical moment, it is imperative that all stakeholders work together to de-escalate tensions and commit to dialogue and peaceful resolution. The protection and empowerment of women and girls must be at the heart of any peace and recovery agenda. In the face of this crisis, every dollar matters, every intervention counts, and every life saved is a step toward peace.
