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Up to 2.4 million children missing out on schooling in South Sudan

Countries
South Sudan
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

HIGHLIGHTS

• Humanitarian Coordinator call for urgent scale up of humanitarian assistance in Tambura, Western Equatoria.

• Humanitarians call for pause to enable them reach thousands of people as fighting continues in Unity.

• Renewed fighting in Wau’s Baggari area forces thousands of people to flee their homes.

• Partners scale up seed and tools distribution to communities hardest hit by hunger and malnutrition in planting season.

• Up to 2.4 million children not receiving an education in South Sudan.

FIGURES

No. of Internally Displaced People 1.74 million
No. of refugees in neighbouring countries 2.47 million
No. of people assisted in 2018 (as of 31 May) 3.7 million

FUNDING

$709.2 million funding received in 2018
41.3% of appeal funding received in 2018
$1.7 billion requirements for South Sudan 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan

Humanitarian Coordinator call for urgent scale up of humanitarian assistance in Tambura

The Humanitarian Coordinator, Alain Noudehou, led a delegation of humanitarian agencies and partners to Tambura in the Western Equatoria region of South Sudan on 12 July to observe the needs and response to more than 18,500 IDPs, mainly women and children, recently displaced to the area. The women who met with the delegation shared their hope that the high-level peace talks currently ongoing will lead to an immediate ceasefire. They also expressed their desire to return home when fighting stops. Until then, they need to be provided with dignified shelter, food and water.

The delegation met with the Governor of Tambura, local authorities, community leaders, aid agencies, as well as displaced women and children, who expressed their desire to return home once the fighting stops.

Following fighting in Namutina and Nagero in April and May 2018, people were displaced into Tambura and surrounding areas. An estimated number of about 18,500 IDPs have been registered in Tambura town and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance including food, WASH, non-food items and emergency shelter, among other needs.

Following lengthy access negotiations, humanitarian partners were able to provide initial support including food, non-food items and emergency shelter to 2,000 households.

Response is planned to support the remaining households.

Partners also require safe and unhindered access to areas outside of Tambura to assess other displaced populations in need. Insecurity along the roads has significantly deteriorated in recent months due to increased ambushes, and following the detention of seven aid workers in Tambura in May 2018. “The humanitarian community in South Sudan has serious concerns about the deteriorating situation in Tambura and general operating environment for humanitarians in the Greater Equatorias region. I strongly urge all parties to the conflict to ensure that humanitarian agencies are given free, safe and unhindered access to all areas of South Sudan, and that their safety while traveling along the roads is made a priority,” said Alain Noudehou. “The safety and security of aid workers is paramount in order to deliver critical assistance and services to people in need,” he added.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.