South Sudan

GIZ local staff

National employees: 101
International employees: 5

_{(as at: 31.12.2023)}  

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in the area that is now South Sudan – with some interruptions – for over 50 years and opened an office in the capital Juba in 2010. Seconded staff who were evacuated in July 2016 because of a conflict have now been able to return to the country. However, a number of them continue to work from Germany.

After decades of civil war, South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. It is a politically unstable state with a history of violent conflicts that still persist and result in the displacement of a great number of people – either within the country or to neighbouring countries. In addition to that, the effects of climate change are making themselves felt: the country is experiencing droughts and flooding that are impacting on agriculture. More than half of the population suffers from hunger or malnutrition.

There is also a need for stable institutions and public services. The rural population has practically no access to clean drinking water and there is a lack of mechanisms to deal with local conflicts over issues such as land and livestock migration.

Women and girls in South Sudan often experience physical, sexual or gender-based violence during their lifetime, with those who are displaced being particularly at risk. In many places there is little or no support for the women and girls affected.

GIZ works in South Sudan on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on the following core issues:

• Climate-adapted agricultural and food systems
• Good local governance and rural development
• Gender equality and prevention of sexualized and gender-based violence

GIZ supports smallholder farms as a way of enhancing rural development in South Sudan. It trains farmers on using climate-resistant cultivation methods and on buying agricultural goods such as seed and equipment. This enables the farmers to boost their harvest yields and to contribute to the country’s production of healthier and more varied food.

To foster good governance in rural areas and make it easier for people to access public services, GIZ is promoting the professional skills of local authority staff in selected administrative districts. With this in mind, it focuses particularly on supporting women to have a say in their region’s development.  Another aim is to establish local guidelines for peaceful resolution of conflicts over issues such as land, water and livestock.

GIZ uses sporting events to promote gender equality and peaceful coexistence. Family counselling and workshops in schools support social change and are intended to prevent sexualized and gender-based violence. GIZ also strengthens women’s groups in networking with one another and with local authorities to make sure their concerns are heard.