IOM, working with partners, key stakeholders and communities, will continue to support people in vulnerable situations across South Sudan with essential life-saving assistance, while creating conducive environments for sustainable returns and recovery. IOM will adopt a community-driven approach to all programming, to facilitate transformative changes that address vulnerability and risks. Addressing these challenges means not only making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of South Sudanese affected by crises but also supporting the government in fulfilling the promises of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, creating a base of support for its continued efforts to address potential drivers for future crises.

INFORM Risk | 8.3, Very high |
INFORM Severity | 5, Very high |
Human Development Index (UNDP) | 192 of 193 |
South Sudan faces a complex humanitarian crisis due to a confluence of factors: limited government capacity exacerbated by political instability, recurrent floods, economic hardship, and the influx of returnees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan. This influx has created urgent needs for basic assistance in Transit Centers and sparked tensions, particularly land disputes, around urban areas.
In 2025, it is anticipated that the country will continue to face social and political instability due to violence and a series of interconnected shocks, including conflict, persistent flooding, inflation and economic hardships. This is projected to drive increased internal and cross-border displacement, further straining already scarce resources, livelihoods, and basic services, and increasing protection risks, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Insecurity, fueled by sub-national intercommunal violence, crime and wide-scale impunity, will continue to hamper the country’s roadmap to peace.
Climate change exacerbates these phenomena, increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. This leads to further conflicts over resources and displacement, while also eroding people’s capacity to recover. The increased flood risk in the region also poses health risks, including damage to water treatment facilities, the spread of water-borne diseases, and improved breeding conditions for disease-carrying vectors like mosquitos.
Environmental degradation and disasters worsened by climate change also plague the region, including desertification, deforestation, droughts, landslides and floods.
South Sudan faces a complex humanitarian crisis due to a confluence of factors: limited government capacity exacerbated by political instability, recurrent floods, economic hardship, and the influx of returnees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan. This influx has created urgent needs for basic assistance in Transit Centers and sparked tensions, particularly land disputes, around urban areas.
In 2025, it is anticipated that the country will continue to face social and political instability due to violence and a series of interconnected shocks, including conflict, persistent flooding, inflation and economic hardships. This is projected to drive increased internal and cross-border displacement, further straining already scarce resources, livelihoods, and basic services, and increasing protection risks, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. Insecurity, fueled by sub-national intercommunal violence, crime and wide-scale impunity, will continue to hamper the country’s roadmap to peace.
Climate change exacerbates these phenomena, increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. This leads to further conflicts over resources and displacement, while also eroding people’s capacity to recover. The increased flood risk in the region also poses health risks, including damage to water treatment facilities, the spread of water-borne diseases, and improved breeding conditions for disease-carrying vectors like mosquitos.
Environmental degradation and disasters worsened by climate change also plague the region, including desertification, deforestation, droughts, landslides and floods. South Sudan remains among the five nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with a severely limited capacity to respond. This vulnerability is starkly illustrated by the widespread devastation, destruction, and displacement caused by large-scale flooding throughout the country. Over the past years, consecutive flooding has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and affected two-thirds of South Sudan. Although the rainfall during the 2024 season has been less severe than anticipated, certain regions continue to experience flooding. Above-normal rainfall is predicted to continue through 2025 leading to erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged flooding, with water levels in some areas exceeding the unprecedented levels reached in 2021 and affecting areas that had not been flooded in 2021. Many parts of the country are expected to remain inaccessible following consecutive years of flooding.
In 2025, challenges associated with humanitarian access are expected to persist across South Sudan. Sub-national violence, including clashes with armed groups that are non-signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, will likely lead to further disruption of humanitarian activities and additional displacement of people. Humanitarian activities will likely be negatively affected by sub-national violence, demands from marginalized youth groups, bureaucratic impediments, and illegal checkpoints manned by non-state armed groups that impose fees along major supply routes (roads and rivers). The Elections that were envisaged for 2024 were not announced and are again postponed to 2026. Parties to the Agreement remain divided on this topic and the UN made it clear that there is not yet a critical mass of progress that is needed for the “free, fair and peaceful” elections to be held.
IOM works closely with the clusters, working groups and a variety of inter-agency fora, including the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and Senior Management Group (SMG), Inter-Cluster Working Group (ICWG) and Operational Working Groups (OWG), and also chairs the Programme Management Team.
IOM has led the S-NFI Cluster since 2011, is State Focal Point (SFP) for Western Bahr el Ghazal, and manages the common S-NFI pipeline. IOM is also the Cluster Lead of the CCCM Cluster, and CCCM Sector Focal Point in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Western Bahr el Ghazal, whilst also co-leading the Communication and Community Engagement Working Group (CCE WG). IOM is Co-chairing the National PSEA Taskforce (and is the Technical Lead for the PSEA Taskforce in Renk), and is part of the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) for Protection and GBV. IOM leads MHPSS Technical Working Group in Unity, Upper Nile, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states. IOM is the programmatic co-chair for the Cash Working Group for the 2024-2026 period. As programmatic co-chair, IOM leads the discussion on improving the structure, function, leadership and resourcing of cash coordination at national and sub-national level, as well as exploring linkages between humanitarian cash assistance and social protection services. IOM is the WASH Cluster Sector Focal Point for Upper Nile and manages a part of the WASH Core Pipeline. IOM is also an active member of the CP Working Group in Bentiu, Protection Cluster, GBV Sub-Cluster, inter-agency PSEA network, and the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Technical Working Group and coordinates with a broad network of over 150 I/NGOs. IOM is a member of all active State Task Forces on Solutions and the National Technical Committee on Durable Solutions, as well as a member of the Durable Solutions Focal Points group under the Resident Coordinators Office and a member of the technical review committee of the South Sudan Action Plan on Return, Reintegration and Recovery: Achieving Durable Solutions.
IOM co-chairs the Points of Entry (POE) Technical Working Group in South Sudan, focusing on public health concerns and outbreaks of international significance and is a member of the Health Cluster and co-chairs Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) / Rapid Response Team (RRT) meetings at the national level. IOM is responding to the regional mpox outbreak focusing its health support on migrants, displaced populations, and border communities.
IOM works closely with the clusters, working groups and a variety of inter-agency fora, including the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and Senior Management Group (SMG), Inter-Cluster Working Group (ICWG) and Operational Working Groups (OWG), and also chairs the Programme Management Team.
IOM has led the S-NFI Cluster since 2011, is State Focal Point (SFP) for Western Bahr el Ghazal, and manages the common S-NFI pipeline. IOM is also the Cluster Lead of the CCCM Cluster, and CCCM Sector Focal Point in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Western Bahr el Ghazal, whilst also co-leading the Communication and Community Engagement Working Group (CCE WG). IOM is Co-chairing the National PSEA Taskforce (and is the Technical Lead for the PSEA Taskforce in Renk), and is part of the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) for Protection and GBV. IOM leads MHPSS Technical Working Group in Unity, Upper Nile, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states. IOM is the programmatic co-chair for the Cash Working Group for the 2024-2026 period. As programmatic co-chair, IOM leads the discussion on improving the structure, function, leadership and resourcing of cash coordination at national and sub-national level, as well as exploring linkages between humanitarian cash assistance and social protection services. IOM is the WASH Cluster Sector Focal Point for Upper Nile and manages a part of the WASH Core Pipeline. IOM is also an active member of the CP Working Group in Bentiu, Protection Cluster, GBV Sub-Cluster, inter-agency PSEA network, and the Housing, Land and Property (HLP) Technical Working Group and coordinates with a broad network of over 150 I/NGOs. IOM is a member of all active State Task Forces on Solutions and the National Technical Committee on Durable Solutions, as well as a member of the Durable Solutions Focal Points group under the Resident Coordinators Office and a member of the technical review committee of the South Sudan Action Plan on Return, Reintegration and Recovery: Achieving Durable Solutions.
IOM co-chairs the Points of Entry (POE) Technical Working Group in South Sudan, focusing on public health concerns and outbreaks of international significance and is a member of the Health Cluster and co-chairs Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) / Rapid Response Team (RRT) meetings at the national level. IOM is responding to the regional mpox outbreak focusing its health support on migrants, displaced populations, and border communities. IOM South Sudan's preparedness and response to the mpox outbreak is aligned with the national response plan developed jointly with the Ministry of Health and its partners. IOM South Sudan is the pillar co-lead for mpox-related surveillance at points of entry, detection, and response along the mobility continuum.
IOM is also a member of the Information Management Working Group (IMWG), Needs Analysis Working Group (NAWG), Inter Sectoral Needs Analysis (ISNA) Technical Working Group, playing a crucial role in the delivery of data-driven and evidence-based humanitarian response. IOM has been appointed as the lead for Bentiu under the new Area-Based Leadership Initiative, aimed at united and joint implementation of HDPN programming by humanitarian and development actors. This initiative seeks to enhance collaboration and ensure a more integrated approach to addressing the needs of the community.
As part of interagency frameworks, IOM participates in the development of the UN Cooperation Framework (UNCF), Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP).
IOM maintains a strong coordination with the Government of South Sudan, including key ministries (the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Land, Housing and Public Utilities, the Ministry of Peacebuilding, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management) and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), which is a key actor ensuring humanitarian access and liaison at different levels.
Since the onset of the conflict in 2013, IOM South Sudan has provided support to thousands of people in vulnerable circumstances across the ten states and the Abyei Administrative Area. This support has reached people from the most remote areas to urban centres and across the spectrum of collective centres to formal IDP camps. The Mission is one of IOM’s largest globally and has one of the largest UN operational footprints in the country, with almost 3,000 staff operating in static locations in Juba, Wau, Bentiu, Malakal, and the Abyei Administrative Area, as well as operational capacity in Bor, Rumbek, Magwi, Mayom, Twic, Renk, and Nimule, alongside front-line responses. As an integral member of the UN South Sudan team, IOM South Sudan works across humanitarian, peacebuilding, and development access with a broad range of programming clustered in three areas: humanitarian coordination and support; humanitarian response and resilience; and peacebuilding, transition, and development. IOM reached about 2 million vulnerable individuals in 2024.
IOM continues to support thousands of host communities, returnees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), including those residing in Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites, formal IDP camps and (ex-) Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites, collective centres, and spontaneous sites in South Sudan, including the returning South Sudanese affected by the Sudan crisis. IOM directly implements and delivers programmes across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus (HDPN) through an integrated, conflict-sensitive and multisectoral approach.
IOM will work with the Government of South Sudan to build synergies with humanitarian development and peacebuilding partners and promote partnerships to maximize the impact of all projects that focus on sustainable development, durable solutions, climate adaptation and resilience. Working with national and local government actors and community structures will remain a key priority to ensuring ownership and sustainability. Through the Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project (ECRP), funded by the World Bank, IOM works closely with the Government of South Sudan (GoSS), to operationalize South Sudan’s Local Government Act by supporting the formation and training of Boma Development Committees (BDCs) and Payam Development Committees (PDCs). The local administrative units that IOM supports are key drivers of sustainable development. On the national level, IOM works with the GoSS on the design of durable solutions strategy and policy documents. Moreover, IOM supports the GoSS in advancing the agenda for durable solutions by providing technical support to State Authorities in developing roadmaps to displacement solutions, which are then integrated into the State Development Plans; and is a member of national and subnational level, government-led coordination fora for durable solutions.
IOM will continue to design and deliver locally driven, development-principled initiatives that facilitate transformative change that addresses the root causes and drivers of vulnerability and risk, and mitigate further displacement, with a focus on access and provision of essential services, economic recovery, and local governance and social cohesion. IOM South Sudan is continuing its flagship programming in supporting community-led review and codification of customary law. Preparations are currently underway to begin the review process in Warrap State, which hosted one of the only instances of customary law codification in 1984. Customary laws are being reviewed for, among others, adherence to national legislation including the Transitional Constitution and its comprehensive Bill of Rights, women’s and children’s rights, as well as general human rights which are commonly violated through outdated patriarchal customs (power relations) and structures.
IOM South Sudan is similarly supporting the government in reviewing two central statutory laws, as well as exploring the option of enacting a settlement and registration law.
IOM will work with the Government of South Sudan to build synergies with humanitarian development and peacebuilding partners and promote partnerships to maximize the impact of all projects that focus on sustainable development, durable solutions, climate adaptation and resilience. Working with national and local government actors and community structures will remain a key priority to ensuring ownership and sustainability. Through the Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project (ECRP), funded by the World Bank, IOM works closely with the Government of South Sudan (GoSS), to operationalize South Sudan’s Local Government Act by supporting the formation and training of Boma Development Committees (BDCs) and Payam Development Committees (PDCs). The local administrative units that IOM supports are key drivers of sustainable development. On the national level, IOM works with the GoSS on the design of durable solutions strategy and policy documents. Moreover, IOM supports the GoSS in advancing the agenda for durable solutions by providing technical support to State Authorities in developing roadmaps to displacement solutions, which are then integrated into the State Development Plans; and is a member of national and subnational level, government-led coordination fora for durable solutions.
IOM will continue to design and deliver locally driven, development-principled initiatives that facilitate transformative change that addresses the root causes and drivers of vulnerability and risk, and mitigate further displacement, with a focus on access and provision of essential services, economic recovery, and local governance and social cohesion. IOM South Sudan is continuing its flagship programming in supporting community-led review and codification of customary law. Preparations are currently underway to begin the review process in Warrap State, which hosted one of the only instances of customary law codification in 1984. Customary laws are being reviewed for, among others, adherence to national legislation including the Transitional Constitution and its comprehensive Bill of Rights, women’s and children’s rights, as well as general human rights which are commonly violated through outdated patriarchal customs (power relations) and structures.
IOM South Sudan is similarly supporting the government in reviewing two central statutory laws, as well as exploring the option of enacting a settlement and registration law. The review process has the opportunity to significantly contribute towards resolving land disputes – a key source of instability in the world’s youngest country – as well as clarify administrative pathways and strengthen local dispute resolution amidst major governance infrastructure gaps.
IOM also engages the government in policy development related to priority thematic areas such as the free movement of persons, labour migration, forced migration with emphasis on counter human trafficking in persons, migration, environment and climate change (MECC), migration and development, specifically on diaspora engagement and remittances, given the large South Sudanese diaspora. Other areas of close engagement are on international cooperation, migration dialogue and the regional integration agenda, as well as country review on the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).












In alignment with IOM's global goals, the South Sudan Mission has developed a comprehensive localization strategy aimed at enhancing the agency’s impact on local communities. Recognizing the unique challenges faced in South Sudan, IOM’s approach to localization focuses on empowering local actors and fostering sustainable development through collaborative efforts. It addresses all five pillars of IOM's Localization Framework.
A key component of IOM South Sudan’s localization strategy is ensuring that local actors receive direct funding to implement programmes that address the specific needs of their communities. By channeling resources to these organizations, we not only enhance their operational sustainability but also promote local ownership of projects. This funding model allows for tailored responses that are culturally relevant and community-driven, thereby increasing the effectiveness of our interventions.
IOM is committed to supporting localization initiatives by prioritizing capacity strengthening programmes that equip local NGOs and community-based organizations with the skills and resources necessary for effective project implementation.
In alignment with IOM's global goals, the South Sudan Mission has developed a comprehensive localization strategy aimed at enhancing the agency’s impact on local communities. Recognizing the unique challenges faced in South Sudan, IOM’s approach to localization focuses on empowering local actors and fostering sustainable development through collaborative efforts. It addresses all five pillars of IOM's Localization Framework.
A key component of IOM South Sudan’s localization strategy is ensuring that local actors receive direct funding to implement programmes that address the specific needs of their communities. By channeling resources to these organizations, we not only enhance their operational sustainability but also promote local ownership of projects. This funding model allows for tailored responses that are culturally relevant and community-driven, thereby increasing the effectiveness of our interventions.
IOM is committed to supporting localization initiatives by prioritizing capacity strengthening programmes that equip local NGOs and community-based organizations with the skills and resources necessary for effective project implementation. Through training workshops and mentoring of local actors, we aim to strengthen their operational capabilities, enabling them to take a leading role in humanitarian and development efforts.
Furthermore, IOM is dedicated to fostering long-term developmental support for local communities. By building partnerships and networks among local, national, and international stakeholders, we aim to create an ecosystem that sustains development efforts beyond immediate humanitarian responses. Our focus is on establishing mechanisms that ensure local organizations are continually supported, thereby enhancing their resilience and capacity to address future challenges.
Through these efforts, IOM in South Sudan is committed to a localization agenda that not only responds to immediate needs but also lays the foundation for sustainable development and community empowerment, ensuring a brighter future for all South Sudanese people.
Saving lives and protecting people on the move

IOM, working with partners, key stakeholders, and communities, will continue to support vulnerable people across South Sudan with essential life-saving assistance while creating conducive environments for sustainable returns and recovery. IOM will adopt a conflict-sensitive and community-driven approach to all programming to facilitate transformative changes that effectively address vulnerability and risks. Addressing these challenges means not only making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of South Sudanese affected by crises but also supporting the government in fulfilling the promises of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, creating a base of support for its continued efforts to address potential drivers for future crises. IOM South Sudan will provide life-saving services across all areas, including movement assistance for returnees, shelter/ non-food items (S-NFI), protection and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and healthcare services. These complement and reinforce ongoing and critical humanitarian interventions in CCCM, S-NFI and Settlements, WASH, Health, MHPSS, and Protection, which are designed to build community resilience and reduce dependency on humanitarian aid.
Driving solutions to displacement

IOM will support the development of area-based strategies, collective outcomes and joint activities in coordination with relevant partners and collaborate with national and state government and relevant partners to develop and review durable solutions policies, action plans and other strategic documents, including participation and leadership in national and subnational level coordination aligned with the Secretary-General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement. Through these interventions, IOM will work to support the prevention of displacement related to conflict and climate change and facilitate the safe, dignified and voluntary return, and/or local integration of IDPs through coordinating land allocation, recovery packages, settlement development and livelihoods support. IOM will improve living conditions during displacement, and establish IDP-informed durable solutions for organized closure and ethical phase-out of displacement sites. IOM will promote peace and social cohesion by addressing conflict drivers and integrating community-level peace activities in all interventions.
Percentage of funding required contributing to the long term outcomes expressed on IOM's Strategic Results Framework.


Camp coordination and camp management
IOM will continue the implementation of life-saving humanitarian activities and scale up advocacy for more resilience-inclined interventions in all services in camps and camp-like settings to strengthen preparedness and sustainability. Activities will include:
- Continue to co-lead the CCCM Cluster, while performing essential camp management functions, including site care and maintenance, coordination of humanitarian services, and capacity-building of community leadership structures and governance activities, including continuing settlement planning for areas of local integration to support durable solutions for IDPs.
- Maintain a static presence as the camp management agency in Bentiu and Naivasha IDP sites (formerly UN Protection of Civilian sites) and collective centres, as well as continue to provide site care and maintenance inside Malakal PoC.
- Localize CCCM services by working with local NGOs as implementing partners in delivering essential camp management functions, including site care and maintenance, coordination of humanitarian services, and capacity-building of community leadership structures and governance activities.
- Continue to work on aligning interventions with the HDPN and finding synergies among interventions (e.g interventions and partnerships with development actors).

Health
In 2025, IOM will continue its static, mobile, rapid response team, and comprehensive care and treatment strategy, with a focus on integrated emergency life-saving primary health care, and routine immunization for IDPs, returnees, and host communities. Activities will include:
- Provide general outpatient clinical and trauma care, sexual and reproductive health, clinical management of rape, and child health services through an existing network of static health facilities and outreach/mobile clinics in IDP camps of Wau, Bentiu and Malakal and among IDP returnees and host communities within the respective counties of Wau, Rubkona, Malakal and Abyei Administrative Area.
- Provide integrated tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening, care and treatment through healthcare providers working at static clinics.
- Deploy health rapid response teams in response to disease outbreaks and emergencies and deliver critical life-saving healthcare services to locations where acute needs are most severe.
- Ensure the provision of routine immunization services within health facilities and through outreach services for communities otherwise not reached with health services.
- Refer acutely sick patients who require in-patient care and treatment, including severely malnourished children, to appropriate higher-level health services.
IOM will continue scale-up efforts to strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems, community health resilience, referral networks, and the Ministry of Health (MOH) and NNGOs to assume an increasing role in health service delivery, including:
- Strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems and referral networks through outreach and static service delivery, capacity building of NNGOs, and support to pharmaceutical supply chain management.
- Strengthen the capacity of the MOH to deliver routine immunization services and COVID-19 vaccination through Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) services to underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
- Strengthen community health resilience through health education and promotion activities and implementation of preventive health services.
- Provide technical assistance to enhance MOH coordination and leadership capacity on border health systems and responses to public health threats.
- Develop capacities of county health departments and NNGOs to assume responsibility for direct service provision in IOM locations of engagement.
- Continue to build MOH staff on selected priority medical interventions, including emergency maternal, child and neonatal care.
- Conduct cross-border disease surveillance and strengthening of health infrastructure at various PoEs.
- Engage the diaspora to provide technical support to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education in the training of the country’s health workforce at mid-level and higher institutions of learners.
In addition, as co-lead for the points of entry (POE) technical working group, co-chair of the emergency responders mechanism, a member of the health cluster strategic advisory group, GAVI/MOH Immunization Committee, and several technical working groups, IOM will continue to scale up efforts to ensure that health systems are strengthened to better prevent, detect and respond to complex communicable disease outbreaks and public health threats, including through early warning alert response systems for surveillance and response to disease outbreaks. Activities will include:
- Conduct regular epidemiological surveillance through IOM clinics, and support Ministry of Health facilities to prevent, detect, report and respond to any epidemic-prone infectious diseases.
- Train staff in Early Warning, Alert and Response Systems (EWARS); strengthen the Boma health committee in high-priority hot spot areas.
- Conduct facility and community-level health promotion, risk communication and social mobilization activities with a focus on epidemic-prone diseases.
- Support MOH on outbreak preparedness and response efforts.
- Facilitate inter-state dialogue and cross-border meetings for enhancing global health security and coordination in compliance with IHR and its core capacity with reference to point of entry and border spaces
- Enhance community event-based surveillance and community engagement in areas highly affected by migration including cross-border zones.

Humanitarian border management and search and rescue
IOM will continue to work closely with the Government of South Sudan in supporting efforts to strengthen a rights-based approach to migration management, including to prevent transnational organized crime, mitigate risks and improve migrant protection through capacity-building at the institutional, individual and community levels, legislation and policy development, promoting intra- and inter-agency cooperation at the national and regional level, and strengthening infrastructure to manage the emergency-related assistance to the population on the move.
- Support the establishment of standard procedures to assist in the delivery of aid, including goods and equipment, and entry for humanitarian workers at the border.
- Ensure that border infrastructures are inclusive of migrant support points whereby migrants can seek information and support.
- Assist South Sudanese abroad with return, recovery, readmission and reintegration.
- Include migration health assessments and provide travel health assistance during HBM activities.
- Enhance capacity at the sub-national level across borders and along migratory routes for preparedness and response to epidemics and other public health emergencies in accordance with the IHR (2005).

Mental health and psychosocial support
In line with the IOM Manual on Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Emergencies and Displacement, IOM will continue offering multi-layered MHPSS including community and family-level support, focused non-specialized MHPSS services and access to specialized services. Activities will include:
- Provide multi-layered services in IOM MHPSS recreational and counselling centres, communities, or health centres to people in need, as well as through regional toll-free hotlines established in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This will include focused, non-specialized MHPSS services, such as counselling and support group sessions for crisis-affected individuals and caretakers of persons with mental and neurological illnesses as part of integrated healthcare services (static MHPSS response on the premises of health clinic) and through community outreach and home visits as and when required. This will include identification and referral of these individuals requiring more specialized mental health care.
- Provide community-driven awareness raising and sensitization on priority MHPSS topics and concerns.
- Provide psychosocial support to families and communities and engage community and family-level support systems via socio-relational and recreational activities, including cultural and social activities complemented by non-formal learning and small-scale income-generating activities. This can be done through Psychosocial Mobile Teams (PMTs).
- Provide training in psychological first aid (PFA) for service providers from different sectors who are working in direct contact with highly distressed persons to enable these actors to provide their respective services in a psychologically informed manner.
- Strengthen cross-sector responses between MHPSS, health and GBV to offer more holistic services to persons affected by physical health and/or mental health problems in line with the GBV annex of the IOM Manual on Community- Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies and Displacements.
In line with IOM's Manual on Community-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Emergencies and Displacement, IOM will integrate MHPSS with conflict transformation and mediation activities, as well as within wider livelihood and durable solutions efforts. IOM will:
- Continue to provide MHPSS activities at the individual, family and community levels that contribute to wider efforts to mend social fabrics and strengthen social cohesion. This will include promoting positive coping strategies at individual, family and community levels to reduce emotional distress and use of violence among youth at risk. Examples include support groups and self-help groups for women, or youth, or people with disabilities; structured play activities for children; storytelling; music making; sports; and handicraft. This can be done through the Psychosocial Mobile Teams.
- Build on existing mental health and psychosocial support activities in addressing harmful social and gender norms through specific family and community-level activities and through reinforcing community-level healing processes which is critical for the implementation of other outcome areas under transition and recovery.
- Provide ongoing training and support to the integration of MHPSS in conflict transformation and mediation.
- Provide ongoing training and support to the integration of MHPSS in livelihoods and economic development programming.
- Contribute to regional knowledge sharing initiatives that discuss the integration of MHPSS in conflict transformation and mediation, and that discuss MHPSS in durable solutions, livelihoods and economic development programming.
IOM will continue to coordinate the MHPSS TWG at the national level. IOM will strengthen efforts at the community level, including capacity building of key actors, and integration of MHPSS considerations within wider humanitarian-development-peace efforts. Activities will include:
- Improve community infrastructure for the provision of mental health and psychosocial support services through expansion and recreational and counselling services/activities across primary health care facilities and camp-based facilities. These facilities will have the capacity to offer community and family-level activities and focused non-specialised services such as individual and family counselling, and peer support to persons with psychosocial needs. In addition, IOM will provide capacity building on mhGAP WHO programme to ministry of health medical doctors working in Bentiu; Capacity assessment exercise will be done jointly with the Ministry of Health, MSF and WHO to identify those trainees and the health facilities where we will be implementing this program. A supervisory methodology will be designed with our MHPSS partners, including MSF and WHO to ensure psychiatric care despite the scarcity of specialized mental health services; IOM will also work on ensuring tangible sustainability by providing regular supervision and incentives to the medical doctors/nurses trained to implement the mhGAP program, and liaise with the MOH on the exit strategy to ensure continuity.
- Strengthen capacity of government and community leadership structure representatives (such as community and religious leaders, teachers, youth and women leaders, and caretakers of marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, and neurological and mental health conditions) and enable them to act as MHPSS resource persons and ambassadors of change in the community. Capacity-building efforts will focus on basic psychosocial support skills, advocacy skills, community analysis to identify relevant community groups to be involved in MHPSS, resource mobilization, problem-solving conflict resolution and peacebuilding while linking the relevant government entities for sustainability.
- Engage in MHPSS mainstreaming and capacity building of local stakeholders, humanitarian actors, health partners, and government ministries, such as social workers of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and Ministry of Health. IOM will continue to advocate to these stakeholders on the importance of MHPSS provision at all levels of prevention and response to crisis. IOM will also provide trainings on Psychological first Aid, MHPSS in the emergency context, mhGAP, and basic psychosocial skills.
- Scale up engagement of academic partners within capacity-building efforts, including mentorships for students or young professionals, and capacity-building of students and lecturers.
- Advocate for MHPSS as a cross-cutting topic among protection, education and health sectors, including enhancing MHPSS data collection and service mapping, and harmonized capacity building among all actors.

Protection
IOM will continue to carry out standalone protection activities as well as mainstream protection, including gender-based violence (GBV) risk mitigation, across programming, and maintain close coordination with key protection partners and relevant clusters and technical working groups. Key activities will include:
- Provide technical guidance, training and support to help ensure interventions are informed by robust protection and gender analyses and that services can be accessed in a safe and dignified manner.
- Deploy protection and GBV staff to multisectoral teams and missions for vulnerability screening and identification of victims of trafficking.
- Implement protection monitoring in areas of displacement, local integration, and return to identify human rights violations and protection risks, which can act as early warning mechanisms to support preparedness and response.
- Strengthen community-based protection efforts by working with communities to support their self-protection capacities or develop new strategies.
- Provide direct protection assistance to GBV survivors, victims of trafficking, those facing HLP issues, or other vulnerable individuals in need of assistance.
- Expand gender-transformative programming based on best practices to address the root causes of GBV within integrated programming with IOM's humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding programmes.
- Work with and build the capacity of organizations for persons with disabilities or other rights groups to advocate and ensure respect for the rights of marginalized groups such as persons with disabilities.
- Support survivors of GBV, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) survivors, to exercise their rights, including access to justice and protection and multisectoral services, as well as tailored assistance to survivors, including livelihoods assistance and MHPSS, in support of their recovery, wellbeing and resilience.
- Through partnerships and capacity building of local partners, strengthen direct GBV response services, including case management, MHPSS, and legal counselling services for GBV survivors, including CRSV survivors and victims of trafficking.
- Provide direct services to victims of all forms of trafficking, including case management and referrals to specialized services.

Water, sanitation and hygiene
IOM will continue to provide integrated, safe, equitable and dignified access to cost-efficient, robust and climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services to most vulnerable IDPs, host communities, and returnees. IOM will also continue to provide WASH services in existing areas of operation and mobilize its emergency preparedness and response (EP&R) teams in order to rapidly restore service provision in response to crises (famine-like conditions, conflict-/flood related displacement) and prevent infectious diseases such as Hepatitis E virus, acute watery diarrhoea/cholera thus safeguarding and preventing public health risks.
Activities will include:
- Ensure provision of safe, dignified, expandable, cost-efficient and robust water, sanitation and hygiene services for most vulnerable people including conflict-affected and flood-affected IDPs and host communities, including population living in PoCs and IDP sites in Malakal, Bentiu, Wau, Twic, etc. A special focus will be exerted on reducing the likelihood of public health crisis by providing tailor-made flood-resilient services, and faecal sludge management and solid waste management systems in the intervention areas.
- Provide surge support to the national WASH Cluster by the timely premobilization of a WASH rapid response team across the country in order to rapidly restore critical life-saving WASH service provision, including emergency rehabilitation of water drinking supplies, disinfection and distribution of WASH NFIs with a special emphasis on soap and menstrual hygiene management items. GBV-related risks and concerns are taken into consideration in all programming;
- Ensure primary health facilities and schools in areas of return have minimum basic standards for WASH services and facilities, including latrines, water quality and quantity, drainage and waste management;
- Strengthen local economy and improve community resilience through cash-for-work for community members in the intervention areas through their engagement in the rehabilitation of WASH facilities and promote community engagement and ownership.
IOM’s WASH interventions will provide nature-based, climate-resilient, resource-oriented, cost-efficient, durable, gender-sensitive and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene services in transitional and post-crisis contexts through the systematic application of integrated water resources management, circularity, systems design, ecological sanitation and WASH market-based programming, in support of food security, climate resilience, durable solutions and livelihoods. Key activities are highlighted below:
- Ensure provision of nature-based, climate-resilient, resource-oriented, cost-efficient, durable, gender-sensitive and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene services in transitional and post-crisis contexts, including areas of return and local integration, through the systematic application of integrated water resources management, circularity, systems design, ecological sanitation and WASH market-based programming, in support of public health, food security, climate resilience and livelihoods. Gender-sensitivity and inclusiveness will be prioritized throughout all interventions.
- Operationalize cost-efficient and self-replicable water supply techniques with a special emphasis on manual drilling and small-scale solar pumps. Operationalize water supply interventions which focus beyond domestic water uses by prioritizing integrated water resource management interventions. A particular focus will be exerted to the use of renewable water resources for pastoralists, small-scale farmers, and livelihood.
- Operationalize nature-based, climate-resilient and resource-efficient WASH services through the implementation of green infrastructure and multi-functional WASH systems. A particular focus on ecological sanitation and water harvesting techniques will be exerted.
- Strengthen self-sufficient WASH management mechanisms and governance systems to enable communities to better respond to their needs and endure future shocks.
- Strengthen market-based programming by supporting entrepreneurship and small-scale enterprise development, by working through or supporting local markets.
IOM will systematically apply disaster preparedness, response and recovery approaches in support of climate and disaster risk resilience. Key activities are highlighted below.
- Provide nature-based, cost-efficient, durable, community-based disaster-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services through the systematic application of disaster preparedness, response and recovery approaches in support of climate and disaster risk resilience, including in areas of local integration and return to support durable solutions for displacement affected people.
- Operationalize community-based flood and drought-resilient programming by means of the construction of nature-based and resource-oriented infrastructure across South Sudan. A particular emphasis will be given to nature-based circular water resources and wastewater treatment systems.
- Operationalize community-based flood and drought-resilient programming by means of the rehabilitation of grey infrastructure (dykes, weirs, etc.) across South Sudan.
- Increase the disaster risk resilience of existing WASH services to floods and droughts by means of tailor-made upgrades. A particular emphasis will be given to high-impact, cost-efficient and durable interventions.
- Increase the understanding of the effects of WASH interventions across the entire crisis life cycle on the available natural resources. A particular emphasis will be exerted on the operationalization of integrated water resources assessment at watershed level and the analysis of the environmental impact of WASH services in the intervention areas.

Shelter and settlements
In 2025, IOM will continue to lead the Shelter and NFI Cluster in South Sudan, while promoting the inclusion of national organizations in decision-making. IOM will continue to provide critical life-saving support to vulnerable and at-risk communities, including emergency shelter, NFI kits, long-term shelter solutions, HLP support, and cash grants through mobile and static teams. IOM will continue to build the capacity of local NGOs to take the lead role in implementation as well planning and designing of activities and will:
- Prioritize cash-based interventions to empower communities to prioritize assistance based on their own specific needs. The cash assistance will include cash for work for shelter construction, vouchers for shelter materials, conditional and unconditional cash grants, and cash grants for social safety net programming.
- Provide emergency shelter and NFI assistance to new IDPs and the most vulnerable host communities. This assistance includes the construction of new shelters, repair and maintenance of existing shelters, and provision of NFI kits.
- Work with local actors, build their capacities and promote joint programming with local NGOs and government.
- Shelter and Settlement programming will continue to focus on promoting durable solutions for displaced people. IOM will work to help people find permanent and sustainable housing and livelihoods, so that they can rebuild their lives and no longer need to rely on humanitarian assistance.

Data for action, insight and foresight
Working with partners, the government, key informants and enumerators, in 2025, IOM will:
- Scale up tailored surveys to inform policies and implement solutions interventions and Mobility Index (SMI), which will help to identify root causes of fragility through data to address protracted displacement. With an aim to help achieve durable solutions for displacement affected communities, the SMI provides data on stability, peace, development, recovery and reintegration dynamics.
- Continue with Data for Solutions to Internal Displacements approach to provide partners and government with essential data and comprehensive analysis to measure progress towards solutions while identifying the gaps to be addressed.
- Conduct countrywide coverage of mobility tracking to provide regular updates on the numbers, locations and priority needs of IDPs and returnees, as well as comparative trends analysis.
- Conduct multisectoral needs analyses undertaken through key informant interviews and household surveys, in coordination with humanitarian partners and relevant authorities.
- Conduct event tracking of new displacement incidents to contribute to early warning efforts and inform conflict prevention and rapid response efforts.
- Increase the understanding of the effects of WASH interventions across the entire crisis life cycle from acute and protracted emergency needs, recovery and development. A particular emphasis will be exerted on integrated water resources assessment and environmental impact analysis.
- Conduct biometric registrations/verification of affected/targeted populations on a needs basis to create a record of individuals and households in a location for beneficiary selection, vulnerability targeting, and humanitarian programming/intervention.

Support services for response actors
IOM South Sudan will continue to support coordination initiatives that reinforce the agency of individuals households and communities combined with systemic support to create environments conducive to the resolution of displacement and sustainable returns and recovery.
Activities will include:
- Conduct community engagements and community-based planning exercises to ensure programming aimed at creating a conducive environment for the resolution of displacement, pathways to durable solutions and recovery is informed by community preferences;
- Conduct coordination, capacity building and strategic planning with partners along the humanitarian, development and peace nexus, notably on durable solutions, including government actors, UN and NGO partners and community management structures;
- Conclude the Wau roadmap to durable solutions, and transition to development programming.

Disaster risk management
IOM will continue to engage relevant stakeholders, including national and local authorities, NGOs, and community leaders on disaster risk management, preparedness and response, based on comprehensive and context-specific needs assessments, including through:
- Develop contingency plans for state, county and Payam level, promote community-based disaster risk management, and provide tools and resources to the communities living in flood-prone areas.
- Strengthen emergency multisectoral coordination in response to displacement, including enhancing the emergency preparedness and response capacity of all stakeholders by building their capacities.
- Preposition core pipeline items as well as trained technical teams and heavy machinery such as excavators, backhoes, and trash pumps, among others, for quick response capacity.
- Promote the development and utilization of national early warning systems for crises including flooding, famine, locusts, and droughts.
- Conclude risk assessment and risk mapping of hazards and their possible impacts on communities. Risk mapping of hazards is an important part of the the community-based disaster risk management manuals. IOM engages communities through Participatory Rural Appraisals, Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (HVCA), and focus group discussions and trainings.
In 2025, IOM will continue to implement disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities in South Sudan, with a particular focus on flood risk management and capacity-building of national and state government authorities, particularly the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Specific activities will include:
- Use the recommendations and findings of environmental social-economic impact assessments (ESIAs), socioeconomic studies, and hydrological studies to inform flood risk management programming.
- Complete the construction and rehabilitation of flood mitigation infrastructure.
- Strengthen state-, county-, and Payam-level disaster risk management bodies.
- Roll out training on DRR for communities and the government.
- Continue to support the operations and maintenance capacity of the government and communities.
- Promote the development and utilization of national early warning systems for crises including flooding, famine, locusts, and droughts.

Community stabilization and community-driven development
IOM will continue to support community development committees to play a central role in identifying factors of vulnerability and transform these into sources of community resilience through active participation in decision-making processes, and mainstreaming peacebuilding skills in livelihood programmes. Throughout these processes, vulnerabilities related to specific individual, household and community characteristics will be taken into account, including age, gender, disability and displacement related vulnerabilities. IOM will also strengthen the capacities of local administrations and traditional authorities in participatory governance, leadership and peacebuilding. This will be possible if the peace agreement continues to hold, and if any planned elections do not trigger widespread violence throughout South Sudan. IOM will:
- Continue to mobilize communities to determine, lead and sustain community development disaster response projects.
- Continue to empower community committees, women and vulnerable populations to facilitate linkage and safely participate as leaders and decision-makers in their community.
- Strengthen the capacity of local, state and national governments to provide and support local service delivery, formulate disaster management plans and respond to disasters.
- Develop and rehabilitate community-level infrastructures and services in selected vulnerable areas through a participatory planning process.
- Continue to support the rollout and strengthening of community policing in communities straddling international borders, as well as mainstreaming women, peace and security in police-community dialogues, and in the development of community safety initiatives to address pressing security issues in their communities.

Livelihoods and economic recovery
As part of its durable solutions efforts, to strengthen access to livelihoods, in 2025, IOM will:
- Engage communities in skills and livelihoods development and promote the local economy; including in areas of local integration of IDPs and reintegration of returnees, building on lessons learned in 2024;
- Continue to support enhancing skills in rural areas to address demands for socioeconomic development, leveraging local capacity and the establishment of value chains.

Peacebuilding, violence and conflict reduction
IOM will continue to support peacebuilding interventions including community dialogue and cattle migration conferences which can help resolve disputes and past grievances that have come from violence and disputes triggered locally over for example forced displacement movements, access to land for grazing, access to water, disputes regarding the prolonged occupation of land etc. IOM will continue to:
- Implement community dialogues, reconciliation and social cohesion activities, including between pastoralists and farmers in areas affected by cattle raiding violence to improve relationships between divided communities.
- Strengthen community-level conflict resolution and prevention mechanisms, including the establishment of early warning systems.
- Provide support for the establishment of community-based water management and pasture management groups.
- Reduce violence and tensions and strengthen social cohesion at community levels through ‘peace dividend’ projects.
- Develop and disseminate strategic messages on tolerance, peace, non-violence and interdependence in cooperation with communities utilizing various media and social communication platforms.
- Depending on the outcome of the planned 2024 elections and the end of the transitional government these initiatives may not be feasible if large-scale violence breaks out. In a scenario where there is security at the political centre, but not at the state level, ongoing shuttle diplomacy and advocacy will be needed to create the space and platforms for dialogue and reconciliation.

Land and property
In 2025, IOM’s HLP activities will be expanded to new states with a focus on operationalizing of policies and building capacities at the local level. With this aim, IOM will:
- Promote the security of tenure for IDPs and returnee communities in South Sudan, through due diligence, awareness raising, capacity building, and legal assistance, to ensure high security of tenure that can support communities with safety, adequate housing, and sustainable access to scarce resources.
- Enhance capacities of national and sub-national land authorities on land records management, document verification and issuance, the application of relevant laws and statutes, as well as administrative, practices, and national and traditional laws and statutes governing HLP in South Sudan.
- Continue supporting peacebuilding efforts through strengthening the capacity of local government and customary land administration institutions in the administration of land, as well as buttressing the capacity of current mechanisms for peaceful HLP dispute resolution.
- Continue to expand HLP rights-based education to individuals across the country.
South Sudan
The map used here is for illustration purposes only. Names and boundaries do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by IOM.
Figures are as of 31 December 2023. For more details of IOM's operational capacity in country, please see the IOM Capacity section.