Map 2 | South Sudanese Refugees and
Internally Displaced Persons | end-2016
SUDAN
CHAPTER 2
297,200
Abyei
338,800
1,853,900
CENTRAL
AFRICAN
R E P U B L I C 4,900
ETHIOPIA
SOUTH SUDAN
Juba
Refugee Camp
Refugee Centre
Number of refugees
Number of IDPs
66,700
DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF
THE CONGO
M A JO R PROTE C TI O N C R I S I S
This devastating conflict has resulted in a protection
crisis, both for the South Sudanese people and the
262,600 refugees living in South Sudan. It is difficult
to deliver humanitarian assistance, especially for the
most vulnerable groups, under these circumstances.
Multiple abuses of human rights have been reported
and documented, including violations of international
humanitarian law. Many victims have been targeted
on the basis of their ethnicity or presumed political
allegiances. Incidents include targeted killings of
civilians, including children, arbitrary arrests,
detention, and alleged torture. There has been
widespread destruction of civilian property, hospitals,
and schools as well as looting and destruction of
humanitarian property including attacks on UN
personnel.38
Brutal sexual violence has been used on all sides as a
tactic of war.39 UNICEF estimated that 16,000 children
have been recruited into armed groups, and that over
half of all children have been out of school, the
UNHCR > GLOBAL
GLOBALTRENDS
TRENDS2016
2016
87,100
639,000
K E N YA
UGANDA
highest proportion in the world.40 A major economic
crisis has developed with escalating food prices and
crime.
D I S PL AC E M E NT I N 20 1 6
The IDP population in South Sudan continued to
increase from 1.7 million at the beginning of 2016 to
1.9 million at the end. This increase masks the high
level of movement, with the outbreak of conflict in
Juba in July 2016 a watershed moment; with
752,300 returns largely before the crisis, and
865,000 new displacements throughout the year
accelerated by the July crisis. Unfortunately, due to
continued warfare and conflict, returning people may
still be at risk of violence and further displacement.
38 UN Secretary General, ‘Report of the Secretary-General on
South Sudan (covering the period from 16 December 2016 to 1
March 2017)’
39 UN Secretary General, ‘Report of the Secretary-General on
conflict-related sexual violence’, S/2016/361, 20 April 2016.
40 UNICEF, ‘Hundreds of children recruited by armed groups
in South Sudan, as violations against women and children
increase’, Press release, 19 Aug 2016.
31