South Sudan – Humanitarian Response in Nutrition and Protection

An estimated 7.5 million people across South Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection across the country as a result of armed conflict, inter-communal violence, economic crisis, disease outbreaks and climatic shocks. Approximately 2 million people are internally displaced within South Sudan and over 1.9 million South Sudanese have sought protection in neighbouring countries. The civil war, as well as erratic rainfall in some areas, has resulted in 6 million people projected to require food assistance, with malnutrition rates over emergency thresholds. Outbreaks of cholera, measles, and hepatitis E have strained an already overwhelmed health system. Humanitarian access remains restricted in many conflict areas and large numbers of people are accessible only by air drops. With GAC support, CARE Canada is helping to provide much-needed nutrition and protection to up to 28,395 conflict-affected people in Mayom and Abiemnom counties in Unity State, South Sudan. Project activities include: (1) screening 8,236 children and pregnant/lactating women for malnutrition and refer them to treatment as necessary; (2) treating 2,035 children and pregnant/lactating women with severe and moderate acute malnutrition; (3) engaging 10,372 community members to raise awareness of gender-based violence (GBV) and its effects, service availability and facilitate service referrals; (4) providing case management and psychosocial support services to 1,140 vulnerable women and girls.