Manual and Guideline Source: UN RC/HC South Sudan

Posted : 30 Sep 2025

Originally published: 21 Aug 2025

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ENDORSED BY UNCT- HCT 21 AUGUST 2025

1.INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background and SEA Risks in South Sudan

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) is a critical and pervasive issue in South Sudan,
exacerbated by complex humanitarian conditions, gender inequality, and sub-optimal
enabling environment. The ongoing conflict in Sudan, inter-communal violence, economic
crises and the impact of climate change, exacerbate vulnerabilities, making SEA risks
pervasive across all levels of society.

Within South Sudan, cultural values and norms surrounding respect and dignity are
subsumed by male power over women and girls operating at multiple levels. Within the
context of SEA and extreme poverty, power can be exerted by humanitarian personnel
through exploitative relationships and transactional sex (jobs for sex, food for sex, goods and
services for sex), thereby reproducing the narratives of cultural oppression that commoditise
South Sudanese women and girls as objects that can be traded for money, cattle, and sex.
The South Sudan PSEA Deep Dive Review Report (April 2024) acknowledged progress on
implementation of PSEA strategies in South Sudan. However, it found that the PSEA
strategy 2018 – 2023 partially met international standards. Significant gaps exist in
organizational policies, human resource systems, and recruitment practices. Cultural norms,
lack of trust in reporting and response mechanisms, and underreporting due to fear of
retaliation or stigma further undermine prevention efforts. Barriers to reporting and helpseeking include fear of stigma, lack of awareness, and limited access to quality services.

Investigative processes are slow and do not fully align with international standards. This
leads to a lack of trust and accountability, further complicating efforts to hold perpetrators
accountable and provide justice to victims. Furthermore, there was uneven buy-in and low
level of engagement in under-resourced inter-agency collective PSEA mechanisms, leading
to significant gaps in effectiveness.

The inter-agency PSEA country level structure and PSEA mechanisms are aligned to the
normative guidelines in place. The UN Country Team in South Sudan (UNCT) and HCT
have designated PSEA Focal Points that contribute to the implementation of the inter-agency
PSEA mechanism. The PSEA Taskforce has developed a monitoring and evaluation
framework that tracks progress on implementation of the UNCT Annual PSEA Action Plan
and PSEA Strategy. Proactive prevention measures are in place: managers and personnel are
trained on PSEA and are knowledgeable on their roles and responsibilities. There are
contextualized needs and SEA risk assessments. Community consultations and PSEA
outreaches are areas of notable progress in promoting safe accessible and appropriate
reporting. The PSEA Taskforce, in collaboration with GBV and Child Protection actors, have
upgraded GBV and child protection referral pathways that are used for victims’ assistance
and referral. The UNCT has endorsed guidelines for mainstreaming PSEA in programmes
and projects.