UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: South Sudan - Humanitarian Crisis - UNICEF
/
2:01
/
MP4
/
141.4 MB

Edited News | UNICEF , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: South Sudan - Humanitarian Crisis - UNICEF

“We are going through the worst humanitarian crisis since independence”, says UNICEF ahead of South Sudan’s 10 years anniversary

A record 4,5 million children – two out of three – are in desperate need of humanitarian support, UNICEF warned today, ahead of the 10th anniversary of the country’s independence on July 9.

“We are actually going through the worst humanitarian crisis since independence 10 years ago”, said Mads Oyen, UNICEF’s Chief field operations in South Sudan, speaking today at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.

With a child mortality rate being among one of the highest in the world with 1 in 10 children not expected to reach their fifth birthday, the Child Rights Agency is strongly appealing to donors to not reduce their contributions for UNICEF in South Sudan.

High levels of food insecurity are of particular concern. Some 1.4 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, the highest figure since 2013. More than 300,000 children – the highest number ever in the country – are expected to suffer from the worst form of malnutrition and are at risk of dying if treatment is not provided.

“There is nothing between humanitarian assistance and no assistance, and that is why we are appealing to donors to really put South Sudan in a separate category where we don’t cut, because any cuts again will result in immediate impact, because it is not a question of a weak government safety net, there is no safety net”, stated Mads Oyen.

According to UNICEF, there is no safety net on nutrition, on health, on water and sanitation and neither on child protection.

“Triggering factors include the continued violence and insecurity - both political violence and armed conflict - as well as inter-communal violence with breakdowns of law and order at local levels, with cycles of revenge killing, rapes and so on, as well as the impact of climate change and flooding”, said UNICEF’s Chief of field operations in South Sudan. The changing weather patterns are extremely disruptive in most difficult areas.

At the moment there are “8,3 million people need humanitarian assistance and 4,5 million of those are children. Those numbers have never been higher”.

Out of the USD 180 million funding appeal to assist the most vulnerable children this year, UNICEF has received so far only one third of it.

“South Sudan is really one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world and one of the most forgotten and we have the highest percentage of children in need in the world as part of the total population”.

The country has currently 3,2 million refugees outside and 1,6 million internally displaced people (IDP). South Sudan declared independence from Sudan in 2011, after two civil wars. Only two years after independence, the country fell into another civil war, which is estimated to have killed almost 400,000 people. Today South Sudan ranks 187th out of 189 on the Human Development Index, and 179 out of 180 on another leading index that measures public sector corruption.

-ends-

  1. Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
  2. Wide shot, a near-empty Room XXVII in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Mads Oyen, Chief Field operations in South Sudan, UNICEF: “We are actually going through the worst humanitarian crisis since independence 10 years ago”.
  4. Medium shot, journalist with mask on laptop
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Mads Oyen, Chief Field operations in South Sudan, UNICEF: “There is nothing between humanitarian assistance and no assistance, and that is why we are appealing to donors to really put South Sudan in a separate category where we don’t cut, because any cuts again will result in immediate impact, because it is not a question of a weak government safety net, there is no safety net”.
  6. Medium shot, journalists in room filmed from behind
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Mads Oyen, Chief Field operations in South Sudan, UNICEF: “Triggering factors include the continued violence and insecurity - both political violence and armed conflict - as well as inter-communal violence with breakdowns of law and order at local levels, with cycles of revenge killing, rapes and so on, as well as the impact of climate change and flooding.”
  8. Medium shot, journalist with mask
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Mads Oyen, Chief Field operations in South Sudan, UNICEF: “8,3 million people need humanitarian assistance and 4,5 million of those are children. Those numbers have never been higher”.
  10. Medium shot, journalists in the room
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Mads Oyen, Chief Field operations in South Sudan, UNICEF: “South Sudan is really one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and one of the most forgotten and we have the highest percentage of children in need in the world as part of the total population”.
  12. Medium shot, monitor with podium in background
  13. Medium shot, journalist listening
  14. Medium shot, cameraman filming


Audio Files 1
Download UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: South Sudan - Humanitarian Crisis - UNICEF
Download

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement. 

Gaza Deir Al Balah killings OHCHR - WHO 11 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OHCHR

Gaza Deir Al Balah killings OHCHR - WHO 11 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: ‘Unacceptable’ choice between getting shot or getting fed – UN humanitarians 

Following the deaths of several children in an Israeli strike on Palestinians waiting in line for nutritional supplements in central Gaza on Thursday, UN humanitarians have once again condemned the killings of people at aid distribution sites in the enclave. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on recent violence in Kenya

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on recent violence in Kenya ENG FRA

At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.

US tariffs impact - ITC

1

1

1

Edited News | ITC

US tariffs impact - ITC ENG FRA

US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist

A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.

Gaza aid site casualties WHO - OHCHR 04 JULY 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OHCHR

Gaza aid site casualties WHO - OHCHR 04 JULY 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza aid site horror continues as more starving people shot trying to get food

Amid intensifying hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, UN humanitarians confirmed disturbing details on Friday of continued killings and injuries of Palestinians desperately seeking food at aid sites.

Iran update - UN Resident Coordinator

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Iran update - UN Resident Coordinator ENG FRA

A clearer picture of needs across Iran is beginning to emerge after the conflict this month with Israel, which left hundreds dead, several hospitals hit and a spike in Afghan refugees returning home, the UN’s top official in Tehran said on Tuesday.

Heatwave update - WMO

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Heatwave update - WMO ENG FRA

The blistering early-summer heatwave that’s brought life-threatening temperatures across much of the northern hemisphere is a worrying sign of things to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday. 

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change ENG FRA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Human Rights Council annual panel on adverse impacts of climate change.

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | WHO

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.