Highlights from 2015
• So far in 2015, 131,479 children have been admitted for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition. This is 50 per cent more children than were admitted in 2014 and 71 per cent more than in 2013. Of these, 88.3 per cent were discharged as cured, above the Sphere standard of 75 per cent.
• The rapid response mechanism continued to be central in expanding lifesaving assistance to the most hard to reach areas affected by the ongoing conflict. This year, over 540,000 people, including almost 95,000 children under 5, were reached through 35 UNICEF and partner RRMs.
• Through the Back to Learning Initiative, 358,094 children gained access to learning opportunities, including 264,332 conflict-affected children provided with education services and 93,762 children out of school for other reasons returned to the classroom.
• For the 1,755 children released from Cobra Faction the socioeconomic reintegration programme continues with goats distributed to 1,241 released children and 869 most vulnerable children from the community; and agricultural inputs (seeds and tools) have been provided to 283 released children and 289 vulnerable children from the community.
• Through RRMs, short term emergency WASH interventions and medium term interventions in PoCs and static IDP sites, UNICEF reached 540,328 people with safe water and 297,040 with safe sanitation in 2015.
• Through the first round of sub-National Immunization Days in Greater Upper Nile, Lakes and Warrap states 1,770,728 (103 per cent of areas reached) children have been vaccinated against polio.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Since the conflict began two years ago, over 2.3 million people have been displaced from their homes in South Sudan, including 1.66 million who remain displaced inside the country. According to UNMISS, as of 17 December, the estimated number of IDPs in six Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites is 185,498 including 106,534 in Bentiu; 27,950 in Juba UN House; 47,791 in Malakal; 2,289 in Bor; 700 in Melut; and 234 in Wau.
The security situation across the country remained tense; with particular volatility in Unity, Upper Nile and Western Equatoria. Unpredictability continues due to on-going political developments, the dollar/SSP exchange rate and ongoing criminal attacks in Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Warrap and Lakes states. Tensions have eased after the arrival of 145 SPLA in Opposition delegates to Juba on 21 December and the subsequent engagement between the two sides. However, the President issued a decree on 24 December appointing 28 Governors for the 28 states recently approved by Cabinet that the Opposition described as a setback to the peace accord and is already creating instability in Eastern Equatoria, Warrap and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).