The 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council 

12 September - 7 October2022 

Item 10: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for South Sudan 

Oral Statement with International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD) and Geneva International Centre for Justice 

05 October 2022

Delivered by Loïc Dorthe

Thank you, president 

We thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the oral update, and we recognise the meaningful progress made towards the reconstitution of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly with the appointment of the first female speaker in the country’s history. 

We are deeply concerned however about the violence and incursions in South Sudan that have displaced over 44,000 civilians and killed 173 people in the last four months. The human rights situation in South Sudan is very alarming with grave violations and abuses reported against 124 children including acts of, abduction, sexual violence, murder, and forced recruitment into the army. EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice call on the Government of South Sudan to uphold their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In addition, we are troubled by the Government’s failure to establish a Hybrid Court for South Sudan. Holding credible trials and establishing mechanisms to ensure truth telling, reparations, and justice for the victims are essential in repairing the country’s social fabric as well as bringing healing to the people. 

We also note with concern how the continuous violence has led to increasingly high malnutrition rates among the South Sudanese. Humanitarian aid and assistance have been denied or restricted leaving the people in a hopeless situation. We call on this Council and the International community as a whole to take action to protect the people of South Sudan.  

I thank you.