The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR), Cape Town, South Africa, is implementing a five-year project (September 2016–August 2021) on “Generating Sustainable Livelihoods and Leadership for Peace in South Sudan” as part of a consortium of three organisations, also including the Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) and DanChurchAid (DCA). The long-term goal of the project is to address the political and socio-economic root causes of armed conflict and instability in South Sudan. The project is funded by the Addressing Root Causes (ARC) Fund of the government of the Netherlands.
Four major inter-related causes of conflict and instability have been identified by the consortium, which are being addressed through the ARC project: food insecurity, youth disengagement, tensions and mistrust, and lack of effective conflict resolution mechanisms. The project seeks to empower local community leaders, civil society, and peacebuilding actors to contribute directly and sustainably to a culture of peace and respect for human rights in five states in South Sudan: Imatong, Jonglei, Jubek, Kapoeta, and Terekeka. A key underlying premise of the project is that local communities in South Sudan will be better equipped to prevent and manage the consequences of conflicts and economic shocks if interventions address both humanitarian and development issues.
This is the first in a series of five policy briefs that seek to promote wider and better understanding of the challenges faced by local communities in the project target locations, and to disseminate the lessons learned, while encouraging bench-marking of best practices.