Building Gender Responsive Climate Resilient Communities in South Sudan [GECRESS]

Project Title: Building Gender Responsive Climate Resilient Communities in South Sudan

Funded By: IDRC, FCDO

Impact Area: Jonglei State, South Sudan

Dates: June 2022 – March 2025

South Sudan is a country ravaged by years of protracted conflicts and fragility situations remain a record high. In recent years, climate related challenges have exacerbated deaths, destruction of property, displacements and poverty among other related issues. Women and girls are the most affected; this does not mean that men and boys are safe from both conflict and climate shocks. Building resilience for both is important. However, this work focused on women and social inclusion of all vulnerable groups.

Most of South Sudan lies within the Nile Basin and the flood plains, and is therefore vulnerable to floods. South Sudan’s vulnerability to climate change impacts is made worse by reliance on natural resources, such as pasture and food crops, which are susceptible to climate change shocks. Since women’s performance of gender roles is dependent on the natural environment (providing households with food, water and fuel), climate change and conflict exacerbate women’s vulnerabilities, thereby limiting opportunities for achievement of gender equality. Furthermore, destruction of infrastructure that women depend on by floods leaves them and their dependents vulnerable.

This Project was implemented by Kenyatta University in partnership with the Catholic University of South Sudan and Agricultural Market Development Trust (AGMARK) in Jonglei State, South Sudan since June 2022. This initiative falls within the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC) on ‘Advancing gender equality in fragile food systems in the Africa Sahel’, funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Goal

To examine gender transformative adaptation strategies aimed at building climate resilient communities among the Dinka of Jonglei in South Sudan.

Specific Objectives

1. To examine the role of belief systems in influencing gender equality and social inclusion among the Dinka of Jonglei Region, South Sudan towards livelihood diversification and climate resilience.
2. To examine the place of women’s indigenous and contemporary knowledge in enhancing climate resilient livelihoods and community based natural resource management among the Dinka of Jonglei Region, South Sudan.
3. To identify gender-transformative lessons from existing development initiatives among the Dinka of Jonglei Region, South Sudan.

Methodology

The research employed a mixed-method approach that combined quantitative and qualitative methods. Data collection entailed use of focus group discussions, observations, questionnaires, in-depth key informant interviews and review of secondary sources. The methods were triangulated to validate the findings of the study.

Short-Term Policy Actions

1. Provision of communicable disease preventive measures such as mosquito nets for enhanced malaria prevention.
2. Provisions of necessary PEP and family planning during emergencies (SGBV is heightened during emergencies and women need access to means of deterring consequences of sexual violence such as unwanted pregnancies).
3. Provision of simple means of transport such as canoes during flooding seasons.
4. Conducting medical camps targeting psycho-social trauma counselling.
5. Provision of emergency food and shelter to displaced populations.

General Long-Term Policy Actions

1. Enhance surveillance of gender policy implementation to promote women decision-making is independent of approval by men.
2. There is need to initiate structures that facilitate storage of dried and preserved products to enhance food security.
3. Efforts to address psychological trauma are necessary to enable individuals and communities to overcome effects of disaster and extreme weather.
4. Enhance advocacy campaigns and sensitization on negative impact of some of traditional practices on societal development with the aim to reducing their prevalence.
5. Government to initiate programs targeting mass enrolment of children in school for basic education; make it mandatory for all children to be in school.
6. A gun control policy framework to deter the penetration of violence and retaliatory attacks.

Her Excellency Joanne Minns, the Canadian Ambassador to South Sudan making her remarks at the KU_SPARC GECRESS dissemination workshop at Glory Regency Hotel, Juba, Feb 26,2025.

Field Achievements

1. Being able to successfully conduct research in an area of protracted conflict in a foreign country.
2. Being able to set up a harmonious multidisciplinary research team.
3. Establishing networks with stakeholders from South Sudan.
4. Identified potential areas of further research e.g. cattle camp as an institution and gender dynamics around it, urbanization in Bor, fishing industry – good example of indigenous knowledge.
5. Debunked certain perceptions e.g. That conflict is only inter-ethnic: There was intra community and political conflicts present; Women’s ownership of cattle: they can own livestock but have to depend on male members of the family, that every Dinka is a pastoralist or owns livestock, the meaning of empowerment and transformation