Yet, over 1.68 million vulnerable individuals face acute HLP challenges, including forced evictions, illegal land occupation, and disputes rooted in ethnic tensions and historical grievances. These issues fuel cycles of displacement, undermine food security, and hinder economic growth.
Failure to act risks exacerbating community conflicts, deepening reliance on humanitarian aid, and derailing post-conflict recovery. Prioritising HLP rights is essential—not only to reduce displacement but also to empower women, advance gender equity, and lay the foundation for lasting peace and development in South Sudan.
This Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) report explores these issues in depth and formulates the following recommendations to humanitarian national and international actors, South Sudanese authorities and donors:
- Integrate HLP rights into humanitarian and development strategies.
- Establish robust governance frameworks to resolve land disputes.
- Invest in land tenure security to empower communities and foster sustainable progress.
