South Sudan’s humanitarian needs continue to rise across the country

On the frontlines of a deepening humanitarian emergency, the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) and its more than 19,000 volunteers continue to deliver life-saving aid across the country — a relentless effort that the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement is marking today by honoring the volunteers and staff who show up for people in crisis.

“South Sudanese people continue to face severe humanitarian consequences, driven by relentless conflict and violence, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and a struggling economy in a context of political instability,” said John Lobor, Secretary General of the SSRC. “This persistent crisis has eroded community resilience, shattered essential services and displaced millions of people,” Lobor added.

In 2025 alone, fighting and violence forced more than half a million people from their homes, often pushing them through flooded wetlands and into situations where basic needs are uncertain and the risk of disease and further harm is high. Hundreds of those wounded in the clashes were unable to access life-saving medical care, and the number of people living with disabilities from conflict-related injuries reached its highest level in nearly a decade.

Efforts to account for missing persons have yielded mixed results: while the fate and whereabouts of 340 people were clarified, agencies documented 541 new cases of missing individuals. Survivors of sexual violence — a consequence of prolonged conflict and intercommunal clashes — face severe barriers to care, including fear of reprisals by perpetrators, community stigma, limited access to health services, and a scarcity of safe, accessible support, particularly in areas affected by fighting. The humanitarian strain is further amplified by the arrival of more than 1.3 million returnees and refugees from neighboring Sudan.

The RCRC Movement used the occasion to call on all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL), aimed at reducing civilian suffering and opening a path toward peace for South Sudan.

As the world observes World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, the Movement reiterated its steadfast commitment to delivering humanitarian assistance to communities in South Sudan affected by armed conflict, violence, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters.

In South Sudan, the RCRC Movement comprises the SSRC, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and partner national societies including the German Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross, Danish Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross, Swedish Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, and Canadian Red Cross.