Historical Overview of South Sudan
After 21 years of civil war, between the Sudanese government and the rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M), the long awaited Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed on January 9, 2005 in Naivasha, Kenya. The agreement promised peace, security and development in the country through the disarmament of the militias and granted autonomy to Southern Sudan. The leader of the SPLA/M, John Garang, was sworn in as the first vice-president of Sudan in the beginning of July 2005, marking a power sharing deal between the north and the south. Three weeks later, however, John Garang was killed in a helicopter crash. Salva Kiir Mayardit, who had been a long term ally of John Garang, was then appointed as vice-president of Sudan. He has continually reiterated the need to maintain the CPA. In September 2005, a parliament for Southern Sudan was sworn-in in Juba, bringing about a new constitution. The Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan was finalised and ratified in December 2005 by Salva Kiir, leading to the creation of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS). This marked the first step of instigating democracy within the region.
In Eastern Equatoria State, the GoSS has had to cope with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in the Western Equatoria State, which was coupled with widespread human displacement, the militarisation of the population and a general breakdown of law and order. For more information on the LRA in South Sudan, please refer to the links mentioned in the last paragraph of this post. As a result of the civil war and the LRA activities in the region, however, large numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) reside in Eastern Equatoria and an estimated 450,000 refugees are expected to return from Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
South Sudan Profile
Southern Sudan (see map) covers an area of 640,000 square kilometres and has been divided into ten states. Geographically the area is comprised of tropical forests, wetlands and the Sudd swamps, savannah and mountains and is well endowed with natural resources such as oil, forest, wildlife and minerals. Southern Sudan has an estimated population ranging between 7.5 and 9.7 million.
Eastern Equatoria State (see map), the Bridge Project’s catchment area, covers 68,139 square kilometres and, according to the United Nations Sudan Information Gateway has an estimated total population of 730,000. It is strategically situated on the East Bank of the river Nile and extends from Nimule in the south-west to Naita in the east, Baher El Gazhal to the north, and by three international borders; with Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia. The region has a complex ethnic diversity with seven main ethno-linguistic groups, which are Lopit, Pari, Lotuko, Lango, Toposa, Acholi and Madi.
Eastern Equatoria has an equatorial climate and has two food economy zones. Acholi land and the Imotong ranges are fertile, with loam and black soil and enough rain in normal years. The more eastern areas often experience irregular, erratic and insufficient rainfall. This area is semi-arid and is characterised by unfavourable climatic conditions with unsatisfactory rainfall, leading to poor crop production. Both agriculture and pastoralism are practiced in the area; livestock keeping is central to household survival for both groups. Nearly half of the total population is considered poor or very poor. Members of a typical poor or very poor household own up to five cows and 15 goats. On average one feddan (half a hectare) is cultivated, yielding between two and four sacks of grain. Grains make up 45-60 percent of annual food requirements. Remaining needs are met through providing labour, bartering and collecting wild food. Kinship and relief food, trade, bartering and milk products from cattle make up the remaining shortfall.
Sector-Specific Background Information
According to the Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) post-war development framework for Sudan, ‘expanding access to education, health, and water and sanitation will be a critical component of the peace dividend because it redresses one key dimension of the historical neglect of the people of the South’.
Water and Sanitation
The overall water and sanitation situation is unsatisfactory. Issues include the scarcity or limited availability of water, contamination and poor hygiene practices. Women walk long distances with heavy jerry-cans, in search of clean water. Traditionally, people use rain pool water, water from rivers and other seasonal sources of water. Unhygienic practices like bathing, washing clothes and defecating near water sources contribute to the increase of waterborne diseases. People use the same utensils for cooking and bathing and fetch water without cleaning them properly. The JAM framework highlights the critical link between the improvement of health outcomes in South Sudan and an increase in access to safe water and sanitation. It proposes to double rural safe water and sanitation access in the next ten years. Overall policy objectives in the sector include the integrated management of water services and delivery of services by all stakeholders including government, donors, Non-Governmental Orgnisations (NGOs) and the private sector.
Education
The education system is managed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and through Regional Education Offices (REOs), County Education Offices (CEOs) and Payams (sub-county). However, due to the lack of resources, most administrative positions are not filled and schools are often funded and operated by parents and NGOs. The capacity for school management and administration is severely limited. There are few and not many teachers, the majority of whom are untrained. Existing physical and social facilities, including sanitation and water facilities at schools are inadequate and there is a lack of scholastic materials. The gross enrolment rate is low and there is a substantial gender gap for girls, which widens with age. The Education Master Plan, October 2002 – September 2007, outlines the following four goals in basic education:
- Increased access;
- Quality and relevant education;
- Equity in provision of education services; and
- Enhanced local capacity for ownership and sustainability.
Health
Health facilities in Eastern Equatoria are composed of three hospitals, eight public health care centres, 22 public health care units and four mobile clinics. Overall health service coverage is estimated at only 25 percent of the population. These health facilities are in poor physical condition and are unequally distributed; the more remote areas are particularly poorly served. Further challenges include: a fragmented health system; limited capacity, absorptive and resource constraints; scattered populations and the breakdown of social networks; limited skilled work force; the changing epidemiological base and the heavy communicable disease burden, particularly of malaria; high prevalence of classical tropical diseases like sleeping sickness, guinea worm and visceral leishmaniasis; the spread of HIV/AIDS; and reproductive health issues like female genital mutilation. According to the JAM framework, the priorities that need to be addressed simultaneously in health during the interim period are:
- Rapidly scaling up primary services, starting in the least served areas, while rehabilitating and strengthening existing first-referral hospitals throughout the regions of South Sudan;
- Strengthening the capacity of the health secretariat and local health authorities in key areas such as policy formulation, planning and management;
- Supporting policy and regulation development, and information systems; and
- Urgently adopting measures to raise awareness and protect the rights of South Sudanese people living with HIV/AIDS.
More background information, statistics and demographic data may be accessed through the United Nations Sudan Information Gateway. Furthermore, the Rift Valley Institute offers an excellent starting point for obtaining information on Sudan; a list of links can be found on their website and a more extensive list is available in a PDF document.
