This meta-analysis offers an overview of the literature on governance in South Sudan in the CSRF repository by exploring salient and timely questions for donor-funded programming. These questions focus on the reason why local governance structures differ in South Sudan and the implications for aid actors; the relations between national, state, and local governance institutions and the implications for state building endeavours; the impacts of conflict and food security induced displacement on governance and the…
Entries by Martina Santschi
This analysis provides a snapshot on the diverse role of chiefs in development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding engagements in South Sudan. It highlights their prominent role in local governance, service delivery, community mobilisation, allocation of resources, etc., and thus showcasing the need for aid actors to better understand their role and interaction with aid provision. Lastly, the analysis piece provides a set of concrete recommendations for aid workers and peacebuilders in the interaction with these actors.
Based on cases studies from the two neighbouring communities of Payinjair of Unity State and Yirol East of Lakes State, the paper examines the effectiveness of local level conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms. The paper finds that local level mechanisms was instrumental in dispute resolution and violence reduction between them. It shares some insights and lessons learned for promoting local conflict prevention and resolution as well as peacebuilding in South Sudan and elsewhere. Download
In early September 2021, a group of men sat in the shade of a tree in Nyang, the capital of Yirol East County. The men – some of them former cattle camp leaders – engaged in a lively discussion about livestock. In February 2021, state authorities had temporarily introduced mobile courts made up of former cattle camp leaders who successfully addressed unresolved livestock disputes and cattle raiding in Yirol East County and other counties in…
Chiefs play a critically important role in communities’ right across South Sudan. They play a vital role in settling disputes, preventing armed conflict and fostering peace within and between communities. As the key intermediaries between local communities and higher levels of government, UN agencies and international NGOs, they have an essential role to play in informing, sensitizing and mobilizing community members around critical social issues, such as COVID-19. However, due to their age many chiefs…
Kinship and community support-based social security mechanisms are vital for the survival of South Sudanese in times of crisis. They are based on concepts and longstanding practices of mutual support, social obligation and vulnerability. These concepts can conflict with western ideals of transparency, accountability and “fair” allocation of resources, including aid. As a result, socially and culturally important coping strategies can be difficult to reconcile with international aid guidelines, values and policies. They can also…
By focusing on the case study of the negotiations over social service tax in Northern Bahr el-Ghazal state, this article provides insights on state formation processes, inter-governmental negotiations and citizen-state relations in South Sudan. This is achieved by considering the economic and political developments that have shaped local and state level negotiations, such as the 2010 elections, the 2012 half of oil exploration and the 2013 decline into civil war. The analysis is further enriched…
The following short sections point at some aspects of spear masters and their role in mechanisms of conflict resolution/reconciliation in South Sudan. The document has a focus on spear masters and Dinka communities. However, important aspects are similar/relevant also in other communities. Link to publication
This swisspeace publication attempts to explain why the international community has been unable to prevent the armed conflict (since December 2013) and what its responsibilities are.
This paper from 2014 analyses the perceptions of Murle IDPs in Juba of their former livelihoods, access to basic services and governance in Pibor County prior to the escalation of violence across South Sudan. Download