Country: South Sudan Source: UN Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict The ongoing fragile political and security context in South Sudan, with limited progress in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, has rendered children more vulnerable to grave violations, with an increase in verified incidents, a new report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in South Sudan show. The slow Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) processes in 2022 in South Sudan contributed to the formation of new armed groups while also leading to unrest and violence. The floods during these years further generated pull factors for the recruitment and use of children.The data indicates that between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2024, 630 grave violations were verified, compared to 457 for the previous reporting cycle, affecting 469 children. After the 2023 national conference on the prevention of violations against children, there was a marked decrease in violations, but they still present an image of despair for children. The vast majority of grave violations took place in Western Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Jonglei States.“In South Sudan, all grave violations continue to be perpetrated against children, some as young as two days old. We cannot stay silent in the face of such abuses. I call on all parties to the 2020 comprehensive action plan to expedite the implementation of all its provisions,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.She encourages armed groups that have not yet done so to also engage in an action plan with the United Nations, and she further calls on all parties to ensure the full implementation of the peace agreement, including its provisions on the protection of children.The most prevalent violations verified were recruitment and use, abduction as well as killing and maiming of children, accounting together for three-quarters of all grave violations. Almost 70% of killing and maiming remained unattributed, the vast majority of those due to explosive remnants of war.The abduction of children increased significantly during the reporting period and was often linked to other grave violations such as recruitment and use or sexual violence. A total of 42 children were victims of multiple grave violations, an increasing concern in the context of South Sudan.Almost half of all verified violations were attributed to non-State actors, but violations attributed to government security forces increased from 65 during the previous reporting period to 108 during the current reporting period.A total of 87 attacks on schools and on hospitals, and 32 incidents of the denial of humanitarian access were verified, a growing concern in the face of large-scale malnutrition.Engagement for Children Affected by ConflictAccountability, particularly for perpetrators of sexual violence, remains low but some progress was made to combat impunity by the Government of National Unity of South Sudan, including through the deployment of mobile courts to Yei and Maridi, and to Upper Nile and Unity States.The second national conference on the protection of children in South Sudan took place in 2023 with some tangible outcomes, including 25 resolutions and recommendations around the need to strengthen accountability for child rights violations, specifically sexual violence, and for the Government to fund the implementation of the Comprehensive Action Plan to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of children affected by armed conflict. “Now, these recommendations must be implemented,” emphasized Special Representative Gamba.84 children were separated from armed forces and groups during the reporting period, with a large number of them benefiting from reintegration support. The Special Representative calls on the international community to continue to support politically and financially the long-term, gender and age-appropriate reintegration programmes, as a way to promote sustainable peace.“The Government of South Sudan must continue to demonstrate its commitment to child protection, and they can count on the support of the United Nations in that process. I call on the international community to continue supporting South Sudan during a critical phase impacted by the convergence of humanitarian, climate and economic crises, as we need not to let the children of South Sudan down,” she added.Overview of grave violationsRecruitment and use: 249 children (227 boys, 22 girls) between the ages of 13 and 17Killing and maiming: the killing (48) and maiming (37) of 85 childrenRape and other forms of sexual violence: 47 girlsAttacks on schools and hospitals: 87 attacks on schools (72) and on hospitals (15)Abductions: 130 children (64 boys, 59 girls)Denial of humanitarian access: 32 incidents