South Sudan records 147% jump in conflict-related sexual violence, UNMISS warns
Between July and September 2025, UNMISS documented a 147% increase in civilian victims of conflict-related sexual violence compared to the same period in 2024, with attacks by youth gangs in Juba, trafficking of women and girls from Ethiopia, CAR and Sudan, and exploitation around artisanal mining sites in Jebel Iraq and Kapoeta. Assaults are sometimes filmed and shared on social media.
This surge reveals deep protection failures by South Sudan’s government and international peacekeepers, especially after UNMISS’s mandate renewal dropped explicit CRSV references and cut troop numbers. For Nigerians, whose troops contribute to UN peacekeeping, it signals rising risks to peacekeepers and underscores the need for stronger accountability mechanisms that could inform responses to similar violence in Nigeria’s own conflict zones.
Survivors face stigma, weak justice and underreporting; convictions remain rare despite specialised courts. Experts urge linking anti‑SV efforts to constitutional reforms, ending elite impunity, strengthening survivor‑centred justice and expanding long‑term support for local civil society. The crisis also highlights the silent abuse of men and boys, often hidden by masculinity norms.