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South Sudan + 4 more

UNHCR South Sudan Factsheet - August 2017

Attachments

  • 80,093 Refugees and IDPs received nonfood items assistance from UNHCR across South Sudan in August 2017

  • 15,456 Refugees reached with awareness on SGBV prevention, hygiene promotion and life-saving messages in August 2017.

  • 1,021 Refugees verified using the Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS) in August.

Main Activities – Refugee Programme

Protection

  • As of 31 August 2017, the refugee population in South Sudan stood at 276,900 individuals, consisting of 65,658 households spread in 21 different locations across South Sudan. In June South Sudan received 646 new arrivals mainly from Sudan’s South Kordofan, and registered 1,186 new born babies mainly from Sudan’s South Kordofan region. 52% of the refugees are female with women and children representing 82% of the total population. The Sudanese refugee population remains the largest at 255,707 individuals (92%) followed by DRC Congo 14,833 individuals (5%), Ethiopia 4,468 individuals (2%) and Central African Republic 1,857 (1%). The majority (90%) of these refugees are hosted in South Sudan’s Upper Nile and Unity regions. Over 1.89 million people are displaced in South Sudan. Furthermore, the country hosts 2,400 asylum seekers.

Central Equatoria

  • In Juba, the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration (DNPI) and UNHCR conducted a training on Nationality Laws of South Sudan and prevention/reduction of statelessness in the country for 46 officers from the Directorate. Since 2012 UNHCR has trained 1,000 DNPI/other government officials on prevention of statelessness and refugee-related laws.

  • In Juba, UNHCR and the Commission for Refugee Affairs (CRA) continued verification of asylum seekers. A total of 1,030 asylum seekers were verified during the reporting period. Out of this number, 36 asylum seekers’ registration was discontinued, while 8 cases were re-registered or registered anew, including 6 births. A total of 1,021 persons were enrolled in the Biometric Identity Management System (BIMS).

  • In Juba, UNHCR verified 404 refugees who previously missed the verification exercise in the previous month. Out of this number, 33 refugees were de-registered as they left the country, while 70 refugees were registered anew, including 12 births.

  • In Juba, UNHCR commenced the verification of urban refugees targeting over 3,500 individuals. So far, 660 refugees had been verified of which 45 refugees were inactivated as spontaneous departures. Also, 35 persons were activated including 15 new born registration cases. 530 persons were enrolled in Biometrics Identity Management System (BIMS) while 37 identification cards and 402 Proof of Registration documents were issued in July.

  • In July, UNHCR relocated 40 former Lasu refugees to Ajuong Thok refugee camp. The refugees fled Lasu refugee settlement due to insecurity in September 2016. Cumulatively, 113 former Lasu refugees have been relocated to Ajuong Thok in 2017.

  • In Juba, UNHCR provided cash assistance to families of 48 Persons with Specific Needs (160 individuals). This assistance was provided following the vulnerability assessment, which identified lack of food, dire conditions of their living spaces, and inability of sending their children to school because of school fees.

Unity

  • In Pamir, 644 children (29 unaccompanied and 615 separated) were verified, while some 281 children did not show up for the verification exercise. 333 new cases were identified and registered and Child Protection partner Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is set to conduct Best Interest Assessment for all the new cases.

  • In Yida, UNHCR registered 326 new arrivals. Cumulatively, 8,785 new arrivals have been registered since the beginning of 2017. In 2016, within the same period, UNHCR registered 9,393 new arrivals in comparison to this year, this represents 7% decrease mainly due to the prolonged ceasefire in South Kordofan.

  • In July, UNHCR relocated 359 refugees including 214 to Ajuong Thok refugee camp and 145 to Pamir refugee camp.
    Relocated refugees included 48 previously settled in Yida and 311 new arrivals. Cumulatively, 10,361 refugees have relocated since the beginning of the year, including 1,601 previously settled in Yida. The Pamir refugee camp population now stands at 14, 601 individuals as of 31 August. The Ajuong Thok refugee camp population now stands at 36, 918 individuals as of 31 August.

  • In Ajuong Thok refugee camp, UNHCR conducted a campaign on SASA1 implementation with 951 community members reached with messages on the need to be bold and proactive thinkers and activists to create a change in negative social norms that condone violence against women and enable spreading of HIV in the community.

Upper Nile

  • In Kaya and Gendrassa refugee camps, 1,605 persons were reached with SGBV prevention messages through door-to-door awareness raising.

  • In Doro refugee camps, 5,520 people were reached with key life-saving messages in the aftermath of the flood. Messages conveyed particularly focused on keeping children away from swimming in dirty water which could lead to outbreak of water-borne diseases.

  • In Maban camps, UNHCR screened 261 individuals’ new arrivals and 39 single men who missed biometrics verification exercise of 2015. These individuals were litigated and their access to services was renewed.