Empowering communities to claim their rights

The Issue

In South Sudan, millions face heightened risks of human rights violations, with women, girls, children, and persons with disabilities being the most vulnerable. In Kapoeta South County, entrenched gender inequalities, harmful traditional practices such as early and forced marriage, and persistent insecurity continue to undermine the rights and safety of marginalised groups.

Cultural norms like bride price perpetuate gender-based violence (GBV), while economic hardship and displacement further expose women and girls to sexual exploitation, abuse, and limited access to essential services, including reproductive health care.

Children, especially girls, are subjected to hazardous labour, early marriage, and sexual abuse, often in exchange for basic survival needs. Boys remain at risk of forced recruitment by armed groups. Insecurity, including cattle raids and child abductions by neighbouring communities, deepens social fractures and reinforces cycles of violence and trauma.

In Kapoeta South, systemic gender disparities and a lack of land and resource rights further disadvantage women and girls. The national South Sudanese non-governmental organisation, Integrated Community Peace and Development Organisation (ICPDO), aims to address these urgent issues by empowering communities to recognise and claim their rights, with a particular focus on engaging men and boys in challenging harmful norms and promoting protection from violence through transformative, community-led approaches.

The Project

This project will tackle the root causes and consequences of GBV in Kapoeta South County through community-led prevention, risk mitigation, and accountability approaches. By establishing and training protection committees, facilitating awareness campaigns, and distributing dignity kits, the project will enhance safety for vulnerable women, girls, and children. Community-wide awareness activities, including house-to-house visits and public campaigns, will address stigma, harmful gender norms, and promote access to services.

The Engaging Men through Accountable Practices (EMAP) approach will challenge traditional masculinity and promote respectful, equitable gender relations through structured dialogues and joint planning between men and women. Local authorities and community leaders will be engaged through quarterly coordination meetings and service mapping to ensure survivors receive timely, survivor-centred care. Child protection will be integrated throughout, with referrals to other actors tackling these issues for at-risk children.

Project: Empowering Marginalized Communities (EMC) to know, recognize, realize and claim their rights in Kapoeta South County, South Sudan — Woman and her child.

The Change

This project is expected to bring about a measurable reduction in gender-based violence through strengthened community-led prevention and response mechanisms. With protection committees actively identifying and addressing risks, and regular coordination with local leaders, communities will be better equipped to protect women, girls, and children. Increased awareness from targeted outreach,

Information, Education & Communication (IEC) materials, and mass campaigns will lead to greater understanding of GBV, its consequences, and available services, reducing stigma and encouraging safe disclosure. The EMAP approach will foster positive masculinities and shift harmful gender norms by engaging men in meaningful dialogue and accountability. As men and women co-develop action plans for gender equality, the community will begin to model respectful relationships and reject violence. Service mapping and referral systems will ensure timely support for survivors, while integrated messaging on child marriage will further safeguard children. Overall, the project will contribute to safer, more informed, and gender-equitable communities in Kapoeta South County.

The Partner

Integrated Community Peace and Development Organisation (ICPDO).

ICPDO is a national South Sudanese non-governmental organisation (NNGO) established with the purpose of mobilising, supporting, and organising local communities in Eastern Equatoria State and across South Sudan. The organisation is committed to implementing transformational community programs through effective resource mobilisation, community empowerment, and the promotion of active participation in public policy and development processes.

ICPDO’s core mission is to alleviate the widespread suffering of the South Sudanese people in the post-war and conflict context. To achieve this, we implement projects across six key thematic areas: