SISTERHOOD SESSIONS
The conflict in South Sudan is among the most protracted and neglected worldwide. South Sudan declared independence in 2011and has been in conflict ever since. IsraAID has been combating Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan since 2011.
The UNDP estimates that 65% of women and girls in South Sudan are or will be survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). GBV has worsened with COVID-19 in South Sudan: IsraAID’s team has noted a 300% increase in reported cases since the outbreak of the pandemic, including forced and child marriage; intimate partner violence; and neglect.
IsraAID's Women and Girl Friendly Spaces in South Sudan provide hundreds of women weekly with emergency support, individual counseling, and group activities focusing on trauma relief, peer support, and livelihood training. These activities foster a sense of kinship among survivors, creating a support network and ultimately a more resilient community. The social workers also refer survivors to follow-up services where appropriate. This is significant as survivors often need to overcome cultural stigmas and fear to agree to be referred.
IsraAID's Women and Girl Friendly Spaces in South Sudan provide hundreds of women weekly with emergency support, individual counseling, and group activities focusing on trauma relief, peer support, and livelihood training. These activities foster a sense of kinship among survivors, creating a support network and ultimately a more resilient community. The social workers also refer survivors to follow-up services where appropriate. This is significant as survivors often need to overcome cultural stigmas and fear to agree to be referred.
