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…
repository
CSRF Research Repository
The CSRF Research Repository aims to support greater contextual knowledge for policy makers, programme managers, and implementers by providing a searchable repository of research, analysis, and resources, and providing periodic updates on new research and analysis.
Using the case study of three countries, including South Sudan, this paper explores the extent to which a bottom-up approach has been integrated in the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus process, particularly from the perspective of humanitarian actors. Specifically, the paper finds that this integration has been challenging mainly due to power imbalance intrinsic to the political positioning of international humanitarian actors. Finally, the paper provides some suggestion how to effectively implement HDP using a bottom-up approach….
Unclear land rights, overlapping land claims and uncertain land security have characterised the history of South Sudan, and being exacerbated by the regular cycles of violence. By taking the cities of Torit and Wau between 2021 and 2022 as case studies, this article considers the practical interventions for land justice and the dynamics of land justice in South Sudan. This is done by conducting qualitative research with a focus on: (a) providing an overview of…
This paper reflects international actors’ prevalent and persistent assumptions about South Sudan and illustrates how these have shaped international engagement for the last two decades. Drawing on the eminent “aiding the peace” evaluation report of 2010 and recent developments in South Sudan, this paper offers relevant recommendations for policymakers and practitioners to identify solutions to present dilemmas.
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.
In the aftermath of war, local government in Western Equatoria, South Sudan, set out to formalize urban land to make it more legible, less conflictual, and ready for the state’s vision of tomorrow. But the process proved problematic, and it caused and rekindled countless land disputes. Based on qualitative research at courts, county offices, and contested plots, this paper finds that these disputes were at their root about five competing normative repertoires about land distribution:…
Wetlands are under threat globally, declining at a rate three times higher than natural forests. This isreason for concern because healthy wetlands offer a variety of essential services to humans and arecritical ecosystems in the fight against climate change.1 Yet, the governance of wetlands often fallsthrough the cracks of water governance approaches and institutions in charge of managing rivers,lakes or aquifers.2 Emblematic of this is the Sudd Wetlands [Sudd] in South Sudan. Little is knownabout…
This paper examines the current state of women’s participation in organized politics through the lens of young women’s political experiences. It contextualizes women’s participation in party politics in its history and shares findings from conversations with young women about their experiences and challenges in their political work. It finds that young women in politics are doubly marginalized by gender and age. Key recommendations: Collect and publicly avail data on the participation of female youth in…
A literary essay that tells the story of southern Sudan since 1983, and the emergence of a dominant military class in the country, sustained by international support and the indifference of the diplomatic corps. Link to publication
Summary This research paper reflects on the myriad ways in which militarised and criminalised forms of authority in South Sudan, specifically militias and gangs interpret norms around gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). It is founded on extended local fieldwork conducted throughout the first half of 2019 across four field locations, including: Wau Town in Western Bahr el Ghazal State; Yirol East in Lakes State; Ganyiel in Unity State; and the Juba…
Curious to broaden your search to Sudan?
Try our sister facility CSF