HRC61 – Oral Statement on the situation in South Sudan

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 61st Session

Statement by Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) on Justice and Accountability in South Sudan

27 February 2026

Mme. Vice-President, Excellencies,

“For ten years we have waited. They promised justice. We are still waiting.”

These are the words of a 31-year-old South Sudanese woman, WJ, who was raped by South Sudan’s SPLA soldiers.

This year marks a decade since the last major conflict in South Sudan erupted, yet WJ and thousands of survivors of sexual violence and other grave human rights violations continue to be denied justice while perpetrators roam free. Justice institutions remain severely constrained by weak capacity, corruption, and political influence, leaving accountability elusive.

Access to justice in South Sudan remains severely limited. Investigations and prosecutions are rare, judicial processes are slow, and survivors – particularly women and girls – face persistent barriers to redress. Transitional justice efforts risk simply institutionalizing impunity if accountability continues to be delayed amid renewed instability.

Legal Action Worldwide has filed two cases to date, including the first war crimes case filed in 2024 on behalf of three women survivors who were raped by SPLA soldiers. Two of these women were children at the time of the incidents.

More recently, escalating political tensions, a stalled peace process, rising localised violence, and renewed clashes – particularly in Jonglei and other states – threaten the fragile gains of the Revitalised Peace Agreement. With elections now scheduled for 2026, there is a serious risk that justice will once again be delayed for political expediency.

Mme. Vice-President,

What concrete steps will the Council take to prevent renewed outbreaks of violence and to end impunity by holding perpetrators accountable?

We thank you.