UN Reports Over 100 Women and Girls Displaced Hourly in South Sudan Amid Escalating Violence

UN Women reports massive displacement of women and girls in South Sudan, calling for urgent aid and female representation ahead of 2026 elections.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 11:11 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Mass Displacement Figures and Geographic Impact

According to a statement released by UN Women on Monday, South Sudan is experiencing a humanitarian crisis where more than 100 women and girls are displaced every hour. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 375,825 people have been forced from their homes, with women and girls making up nearly 60 percent of that figure. The majority of these displacements are concentrated in Jonglei State, which accounts for approximately 174,197 of the uprooted female population.

Acute Food Insecurity and Survival Tactics

As the lean season begins, the lack of food has forced many women and girls to resort to eating wild plants to survive. Anna Mutavati, the UN Women regional director for East and Southern Africa, reported that some individuals are going days without any sustenance as health services collapse. The agency estimates that five million women and girls across the country currently require humanitarian assistance, reflecting the deepening intersection of conflict and environmental stressors.

Risks of Sexual Violence and Lack of Protection

The intensifying violence has exposed the female population to heightened risks of killing and sexual violence. UN Women data suggests that 2.5 million women and girls specifically require gender based violence services this year. Mutavati emphasized that the lack of adequate protection and medical infrastructure is leaving millions of survivors without the essential care needed to recover from trauma and physical injury.