Child Labor and Forced Labor Reports
South Sudan
No Advancement – Efforts Made But Complicit in Forced Child Labor
In 2022, South Sudan is receiving an assessment of no advancement. Despite initiatives to address child labor, South Sudan is assessed as having made no advancement because it demonstrated complicity in the use of forced child labor. The country's military continued to recruit children, sometimes forcibly, to fight opposition groups, and for use in supporting roles. Otherwise, the government made efforts by extending until 2024 the Comprehensive Action Plan to Prevent All Grave Violations Against Children in South Sudan. In addition, for the first time since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Labor conducted labor inspections. However, children in South Sudan are subjected to the worst forms of child labor, including forced labor in cattle herding. Children also perform dangerous tasks in construction. In 2022, the government did not hold perpetrators of child labor accountable and has yet to ratify the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. In addition, police continued to arrest and imprison children engaged in commercial sexual exploitation, rather than treating them as victims.
Table 1 provides key indicators on children’s work and education in South Sudan.
| Children | Age | Percent |
| Working (% and population) | 10 to 14 | 45.6 (463,624) |
| Working children by sector | 10 to 14 | |
| Agriculture | 60.2 | |
| Industry | 38.2 | |
| Services | 1.6 | |
| Attending School (%) | 6 to 14 | 31.5 |
| Combining Work and School (%) | 10 to 14 | 10.9 |
| Primary Completion Rate (%) | 21.5 |
Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2015, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023. (1)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Fifth Housing and Population Census (CENSUS), 2008. (2)
Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.
| Sector/Industry | Activity |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Farming, activities unknown (3,4) |
| Cattle herding† (3,5) | |
| Gathering firewood and fetching water (3,4) | |
| Industry | Construction,† including building and transporting materials (5,6) |
| Rock breaking† (3,5) | |
| Making bricks (3,7) | |
| Gold mining,† including carrying soil and panning (3,4,8) | |
| Services | Domestic work (3-5) |
| Street work, including vending; polishing shoes; delivery cart pulling; preparing tea; selling black market gasoline; hawking fruits, sunglasses, and sandals; and ticket taking for group transport companies (3-5) | |
| Working in restaurants, tea houses, and auto-repair and convenience stores (3,9) | |
| Collecting scrap metal and empty bottles (6) | |
| Working in slaughterhouses, including transporting livestock and meat (6) | |
| Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡ | Forced labor in brickmaking, cattle herding, gold mining, domestic work, and market vending (3-5) |
| Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (4,5,10) | |
| Forced recruitment of children by state and non-state armed groups for use in armed conflict (3-5,10-13) |
† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.
In 2022, armed groups continued to use children for combat in armed conflict. Despite the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), ethnic tensions and land disputes continue to drive violent conflict between state and non-state armed groups in the country, exposing children to the worst forms of child labor. (3,14) During the reporting period, state armed groups, including the South Sudan People's Defense Force (SSPDF); South Sudan National Police Services; and South Sudan Wildlife Services, and non-state armed groups including the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO); South Sudan Opposition Alliance; and forces loyal to General Moses Lokujo recruited and used children as combatants, bodyguards, and porters during armed conflict. (14) Children recruited by armed groups lack access to basic services such as water and education, and they are particularly vulnerable to mistreatment, abuse, and further exploitation. (3) Armed groups have previously subjected children to rape and sexual abuse as in-kind payment to fighters. (9) Additionally, state and non-state armed groups recruit children from villages in which conflicts occur. There were also reports of armed groups recruiting children from the government-managed IDP camp in Bentiu during the reporting period. (14)
Of the 10,000 children engaged in tending cattle throughout the country, many are used in armed cattle raids by other tribes. An even greater number of children fight as part of local community defense forces. (4) Children abducted by armed pastoralists may be forced to join heavily militarized cattle rustling networks. Older boys are also forced to work as soldiers, herders, or cattle rustlers. (4,9) While younger children tend to smaller livestock, teenagers serve as auxiliaries for armed pastoralists or self-defense groups. Among certain tribes, cattle raiding marks a rite of passage to adulthood. (15) In addition, non‐state groups often use children released from armed groups for cattle raiding, or intercommunal violence once the children arrive back in their villages. (4) Furthermore, economic pressures, including sustained flooding resulting in loss of land, cattle, and intercommunal conflict led to a continued increase in child marriages and child labor during the reporting period. Families with limited financial resources exchanged their young daughters for a bride price, or as restitution following intercommunal conflict. (3,4)
During the reporting period, the South Sudan Education Cluster published the "Education Needs Assessment in South Sudan 2021" in coordination with Save the Children and UNICEF. The report detailed inadequacies within the country's education system, including the chronic underfunding of the sector. (3,16) Although a majority of pre-primary and primary schools have reopened after prolonged pandemic-related closures, the government does not enforce school attendance, and the majority of children leave school before age 13, rendering children vulnerable to child labor and exploitation. (3,17-19) Public school teachers are paid sporadically, leading to low morale, frequent absenteeism, and high teacher attrition. (3,4,18,20,21) In addition, armed groups, including government forces, continue to occupy schools in contested areas, and ongoing military operations in conflict-affected areas have forced teachers to flee. (9,14,20) Although the Constitution and the Child Act provide for free primary education, some schools illegally require families to contribute prohibitive school fees for teachers' and other officials' salaries as well as related costs such as utilities—a practice that the South Sudanese government is taking measures to address. (17,22,23) This practice disproportionately impacts girls, because families with multiple children, who cannot afford to pay additional fees to cover all children, prioritize educating sons. Underage marriage also prevents girls from attending school. (3,4,22)
South Sudan has ratified most key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).
| Convention | Ratification |
| ILO C. 138, Minimum Age | ✓ |
| ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor | ✓ |
| UN CRC | ✓ |
| UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict | ✓ |
| UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography | ✓ |
| Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons |
The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in South Sudan’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including a gap between the minimum age for work and the compulsory education age.
| Standard | Meets International Standards | Age | Legislation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Age for Work | Yes | 14 | Section 12 of the Labor Act; Article 25(3) of the Child Act (24,25) |
| Minimum Age for Hazardous Work | Yes | 18 | Sections 12 and 13 of the Labor Act; Articles 22(3), 24(1), and 25(1) of the Child Act (24,25) |
| Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children | Yes | Article 25(2) of the Child Act (24) | |
| Prohibition of Forced Labor | Yes | Articles 10(1) and 13(2)(a) of the Labor Act; Articles 277–279 of the Penal Code; Article 13 of the Constitution (25-27) | |
| Prohibition of Child Trafficking | Yes | Article 13(2) of the Labor Act; Articles 22(3)(b), 119 and 120 of the Child Act; Articles 276 and 278–282 of the Penal Code (24-26) | |
| Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children | Yes | Article 13(2)(b) of the Labor Act; Articles 22(3)(c), 22(3)(d), 22(4), and 25(2)(m) of the Child Act; Article 276 of the Penal Code (24-26) | |
| Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities | Yes | Article 13(2)(c) of the Labor Act; Article 24(1) of the Child Act; Article 383(3)(d) of the Penal Code (24-26) | |
| Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment | Yes | 18 | Article 31(1) of the Child Act; Section 22 of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army Act (24,28) |
| Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military | Yes | Article 31(1) of the Child Act; Sections 20 and 22(2) of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army Act (24,28) | |
| Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups | Yes | Articles 31(1), 31(2), and 32 of the Child Act (24) | |
| Compulsory Education Age | No | 13 | Article 9.1(b) of the General Education Act; Article 14(1) of the Child Act (24,29) |
| Free Public Education | Yes | Article 6(a) of the General Education Act; Article 13(4)(b) of the Labor Act; Article 14(1) of the Child Act; Article 29.2 of the Constitution (24,25,27,29) |
In accordance with the Labor Act, the Ministry of Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development (MOL) is responsible for issuing regulations to implement key elements related to child labor, including the number of hours and conditions for light work in which children are able to engage, as well as the exceptions under which children ages 16 and 17 may engage in hazardous work. However, MOL has not issued these regulations, which leaves children vulnerable to exploitative work. (21,25) In addition, as children are only required to attend school until age 13, children between the ages of 13 and 14 are particularly vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor because they are not required to be in school, but are also not legally permitted to work. (11,24,25,29)
The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the operations of enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws, including the absence of coordination between agencies, lack of defined mandates, and an overall lack of prioritization of child labor issues.
| Organization/Agency | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Labor, Public Service and Human Resource Development (MOL) | Enforces child labor laws, identifies child labor violations, and conducts workplace inspections. (3,24,25) Refers violations of child labor laws to the South Sudan National Police Service, which then investigates the violation and determines whether to charge the violator in criminal court. During the reporting period, MOL resumed labor inspections. (3) |
| Ministry of Justice | Oversees all courts and prosecutes violations, including those related to child labor. (4) Partners with the UNICEF-funded initiative Justice for Children, which refers victims of child labor to special courts in which judges are trained on how to adjudicate cases involving minors. This initiative was active during the reporting period; however, research was unable to find information on the number of children diverted from criminal prosecutions in 2022. (3) South Sudan’s justice system faces enormous challenges, such as low capacity, insufficient funding, interference by the government and SSPDF, insufficient training for law enforcement personnel, and a scarcity of judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. (30-32) Previous reports indicate that prosecutors and law enforcement officials are not familiar with the legal statutes regarding the worst forms of child labor, which resulted in the imprisonment of children engaged in commercial sexual exploitation. (21,30) |
| South Sudan People's Defense Force (SSPDF) Directorate for Child Protection | Responsible for preventing the recruitment of children into the army, monitoring barracks, identifying child soldiers and assisting with their release, investigating allegations of child soldiering, and providing training on children’s rights to child protection officers and members of SSPDF. Headed by a Brigadier General, serves as a liaison between SSPDF and the international community. (20) Research was unable to identify activities undertaken by the SSPDF Directorate for Child Protection to address child labor during the reporting period. |
Labor Law Enforcement
In 2022, the exceptionally low number of worksite inspections conducted at the national level in South Sudan may impede the enforcement of child labor laws (Table 6).
| Overview of Labor Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Labor Inspectorate Funding | Unknown (4) | Unknown (3) |
| Number of Labor Inspectors | 12 (4) | 14 (3) |
| Mechanism to Assess Civil Penalties | No (25) | No (25) |
| Training for Labor Inspectors Provided | Yes (4) | Yes (3) |
| Number of Labor Inspections Conducted at Worksite | 0 (4) | 21 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations Found | N/A (4) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed | N/A (4) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected | N/A (4) | 0 (3) |
| Routine Inspections Conducted | No (4) | No (3,32) |
| Routine Inspections Targeted | No (4) | No (3) |
| Unannounced Inspections Permitted | Yes (25) | Yes (25) |
| Unannounced Inspections Conducted | No (4) | Yes (3) |
| Complaint Mechanism Exists | No (4) | No (3) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services | Yes (4) | Yes (3) |
During the reporting period, the Ministry of Finance and Planning did not provide any regular funding to MOL for labor inspections. MOL is authorized to retain 20 percent of the fees it collects for work permits, and 20 percent of the fines it collects for labor law violations; MOL divides this revenue between the five directorates within the ministry to pay for basic necessities such as utilities and some salaries. (3) No labor law violations were discovered during the reporting period, leaving the ministry without sufficient funding. (3,4) All inspections during the reporting period took place in the capital as there was no budget for inspectors to travel elsewhere in South Sudan. Most inspections were conducted in the hospitality sector, specifically hotels, where children are not known to work. (3) MOL lacks sufficient resources, including vehicles, to investigate child labor complaints, particularly in the informal sector. (3,21,33) Research also indicates that South Sudan does not have an adequate number of labor inspectors to carry out their mandated duties. (3,34,35) In addition, there is a high level of absenteeism among ministry staff, and salaries for civil servants in nearly every ministry were not paid for several months, further hindering the labor inspectorate's ability to enforce child labor laws. (20,21)
In 2022, labor inspectors were trained on the application of existing child labor and hazardous child labor laws. (3) While labor inspectors in South Sudan are not authorized to assess penalties, they can issue compliance notices requiring the violating business to remedy the violation; however, regulations do not specify monetary penalties for infractions. Labor inspectors can also refer cases to the police and any violations to the Labor Act, including child labor violations, can carry criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to 5 years. (3,4,25)
Criminal Law Enforcement
In 2022, criminal law enforcement agencies in South Sudan took actions to address child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of criminal enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, including a lack of financial resources.
| Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Training for Criminal Investigators Provided | No (4) | No (3) |
| Number of Investigations | 0 (4) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Prosecutions Initiated | 0 (4) | 0 (3) |
| Number of Convictions | 0 (4) | 0 (3) |
| Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor | No (4) | No (3) |
| Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services | No (3) | No (3) |
Although the August 2013 Punitive Order commits the SSPDF to hold its military officers accountable for the recruitment or use of children, and the government continued to release child soldiers during the reporting period, the government has neither investigated nor prosecuted officers who allegedly committed such crimes, despite ongoing evidence of officer involvement in and knowledge of child recruitment. (3,5,30,36,37) Research indicates that the budget allocated to agencies responsible for criminal law enforcement is insufficient, resulting in investigators lacking sufficient transportation and logistic necessities to carry out investigations related to the worst forms of child labor. (3)
The government has established a key mechanism to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8). However, gaps exist that hinder the effective coordination of efforts to address child labor, including the lack of a coordination mechanism to address all worst forms of child labor.
| Coordinating Body | Role & Activities |
|---|---|
| South Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Commission (NDDRC) | Oversees and coordinates the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former child soldiers, and is supported by the UN Mission in South Sudan, UNICEF, and the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting. Includes members of the pro-Machar Sudan People's Liberation Army – In Opposition (SPLA-IO), and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), along with parties belonging to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). (20) Maintains a network of local contacts (NGOs and community members) throughout the country who work to locate the families of rescued child soldiers, provide them with vocational training, and assist with their reintegration into civilian life. The NDDRC is currently governed by the Action Plan of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan Regarding Children Associated with Armed Conflict in South Sudan, which was signed on February 7, 2020, by all parties of the R-ARCSS. (9) Despite not receiving funding during the reporting period, the NDDRC was able to function, and was a driving force behind the May 2022 meeting with stakeholders to extend the Comprehensive Action Plan. (3,4) |
The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) monitors compliance with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and supports the NDDRC’s mandate of reintegrating former child soldiers into civilian life. During the reporting period, the CTSAMVM investigated and reported on cases of suspected child soldiers, and incidents of gender-based violence against women and children by armed militia groups, including militia groups receiving material support from political elites. (3,38,39) In June of 2022, President Salva Kiir issued a decree on the formation of the National Human Rights Council, which will be chaired by the Minister of Justice, and will include the ministers of International Cooperation, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, Gender, Child and Social Welfare, as well as the Child Protection Directorate. (14) In addition, South Sudan has a Technical Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Persons to oversee the process of ratifying the Palermo Protocol and policy development for anti-trafficking and smuggling of migrants. Members include the Ministry of Justice (co-chair); Ministry of the Interior (co-chair); the National Security Service – Internal Security Bureau; MOL; and the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare (MGCSW). (40) The Task Force met during the reporting period, even though it did not receive funding from the government. (3,4)
Although South Sudan has a coordinating mechanism to address child soldier issues, it does not have coordinating mechanisms to address other worst forms of child labor.
The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including a lack of policies covering all worst forms of child labor.
| Policy | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (2018) (R-ARCSS) | Replaces all components of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, including the extension of the Action Plan to Combat the Use of Child Soldiers, and reaffirms commitments made under the 2017 Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities. (41-43) Establishes the structure of a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity and outlines actions to be taken by signatories, including prohibiting the recruitment and use of child soldiers by armed forces or militias, and stipulates that all civilian areas, including schools, shall be immediately demilitarized. (41) Research was unable to determine whether activities relevant to children were undertaken to implement R-ARCSS during the reporting period. |
| General Education Strategic Plan (2017–2022) | Aimed to improve access to, and quality of, education through grants and cash transfers to girls in upper primary and secondary schools, as well as payment of teachers' salaries. (44) The public education system in South Sudan is highly dependent on donor funding, but during the reporting year, the government announced that education spending will increase to 17 percent of the budget in fiscal year 2022/23, up from the 6.1 percent allocated in fiscal year 2021/22. (3,21) |
| Comprehensive Action Plan to Prevent Grave Violations Against Children in South Sudan | Aims to prevent and mitigate grave violations against children, including the recruitment of child soldiers and attacks on schools. Applies to all state and non-state groups and came into force under the February 2020 transitional government. (9,45) Parties who have signed on to this commitment include SSPDF and Riek Machar's SPLA-IO, both of which were reported for child recruitment and use in armed conflict, as well as SSOA. (45) This document contains a list of concrete steps meant to "halt and prevent the violations against children in situations of armed conflict." (9,45) In 2022, the R-ARCSS signatories agreed to extend the plan through April 2024. (3) |
During the reporting period, MGCSW drafted their 5-year strategic plan for 2022–2027. The plan has eight strategic areas, including child protection and promotion of the rights of children. (46) However, although South Sudan has policies addressing education, and the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, research found no evidence of policies to address child labor in the agriculture and livestock sectors, nor could research identify policies addressing other worst forms of child labor, such as the commercial sexual exploitation of children. (47)
In 2022, the government participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including a lack of social programs to address child labor in all sectors.
| Program | Description & Activities |
|---|---|
| Dallaire Initiative (2018–2022) | Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative-funded project ($2.2 million) aimed to train 1,200 South Sudanese soldiers, police, and prison personnel on addressing the use of children in armed conflict through behavior change. (19) In 2022, the Institute concluded its program to train and educate security sector personnel on child protection issues. (3) |
| UNICEF and Donor-Funded Programs | During the reporting period, UNICEF and its partners reached 38,163 children in at-risk communities with key messages on Explosive Ordnance Risk Education. (13) 52,796 children were reached with psychosocial support services in child-friendly spaces, schools, and communities. In addition, UNICEF and partners scaled up to provide emergency education services to 119,401 children impacted by the humanitarian crises. (13) This included the construction of 81 temporary learning spaces and 1 secondary school in Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Unity, Jonglei, Warrap, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, and Eastern Equatoria State. Additionally, UNICEF, through EU funding, made two rounds of incentive payments to 8,114 teachers in hard-to-reach areas across the country. (13) |
| Alternative Education System | Aims to improve literacy and provide out-of-school populations an alternative to formal education. (44) Includes the Accelerated Learning Program, which implements the Ministry of General Education and Instruction program primarily targeting children ages 13 to 17 who have reenrolled in lower primary classes. Also includes Community Girls’ Schools, located in closer proximity to rural communities, and the Pastoralist Education Program, which targets children and adults in pastoral areas. (44) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken through the system during the reporting period. (32) |
For information about USDOL’s projects to address child labor around the world, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-project-page-search
Although South Sudan has programs that target child labor, the scope of these programs is insufficient to fully address the extent of the problem, including in commercial sexual exploitation, the agricultural sector, and other sectors in which child labor is known to occur. In addition, the reintegration and rehabilitation services provided to child soldiers is insufficient to meet existing needs. (17,21,48,49)
Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in South Sudan (Table 11).
| Area | Suggested Action | Year(s) Suggested |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Framework | Ratify the Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. | 2013 – 2022 |
| Ensure that the Ministry of Labor drafts and issues regulations to implement key elements related to child labor, including the number of hours and conditions for light work, and the exceptions under which children ages 16 and 17 may engage in hazardous work. | 2020 – 2022 | |
| Raise the compulsory education age of 13 to the minimum age for work of 14 to comply with international standards. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| Enforcement | Report activities undertaken by all agencies responsible for child labor law enforcement on an annual basis, including those undertaken by the Ministry of Justice and the South Sudan People's Defense Force Directorate for Child Protection. | 2022 |
| Ensure that victims of commercial sexual exploitation and other worst forms of child labor are correctly identified as victims and are referred to appropriate social services, rather than being treated as criminals. | 2012 – 2022 | |
| Publish data related to labor law enforcement, including the amount of funding provided for the labor inspectorate. | 2012 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that the Ministry of Finance and Planning provides the Ministry of Labor with regular and sufficient funding for labor inspections that covers all operational costs needed to conduct routine labor inspections, including inspections targeting all sectors in which child labor is known to occur, such as in the informal sector and outside of the capital city. | 2012 – 2022 | |
| Increase the number of labor inspectors from 14 to 109 to ensure adequate coverage of the labor force of approximately 4.3 million people. | 2016 – 2022 | |
| Establish a mechanism to assess penalties for child labor violations and ensure that labor regulations provide monetary penalties for child labor infractions that are high enough to serve as a deterrent. | 2019 – 2022 | |
| Establish a mechanism to receive child labor complaints and ensure that routine inspections are conducted by the labor inspectorate. | 2022 | |
| Ensure that the criminal justice system has adequate funding to recruit sufficient personnel—including judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys—and is able to conduct investigations into child labor violations and implementing regulations for child labor-related laws. Ensure independence of the justice system by eliminating interference by government officials and armed groups, including the national armed forces. | 2022 | |
| Establish a formal referral mechanism between criminal authorities and social services for victims of the worst forms of child labor, including forced child labor and commercial sexual exploitation. | 2014 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that training related to the worst forms of child labor is provided to criminal investigators and prosecutors and that prison sentences for child labor crimes are imposed and carried out. | 2015 – 2022 | |
| Investigate, prosecute, and impose penalties on perpetrators, including government officials, who recruit or use children in armed conflict. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| End the forced and voluntary recruitment or use of children by state and non-state armed groups, including the South Sudan People's Defense Force and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Army – In Opposition, in compliance with the Child's Act. | 2012 – 2022 | |
| Coordination | Ensure that the Technical Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Persons is active, sufficiently funded, and able to carry out its intended mandates, including ratifying the Palermo Protocol and developing policies to address trafficking of migrant workers. | 2020 – 2022 |
| Ensure that the National Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Commission is active and able to assist rescued child soldiers by locating their families, providing them with vocational training, and assisting with their reintegration into civilian life. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Establish a coordinating mechanism to address all worst forms of child labor, including the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and ensure that its mandates are clearly defined. | 2013 – 2022 | |
| Government Policies | Ensure that signatories of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and of the Comprehensive Action Plan to Prevent Grave Violations Against Children in South Sudan do not continue to recruit or re-recruit children, and that actions are taken to demilitarize civilian areas, including schools. | 2021 – 2022 |
| Adopt policies to address child labor in all sectors in which it is known to occur, particularly in the agriculture and livestock sectors, as well as all relevant worst forms of child labor such as commercial sexual exploitation. | 2022 | |
| Social Programs | Conduct a national child labor survey, including research to determine the activities carried out by children in all sectors in which children are known to work, to inform policies and social programs. | 2013 – 2022 |
| Ensure that children complete their primary education by adequately funding the sector, enforcing school attendance, reliably paying teachers’ salaries, addressing the lack of school infrastructure, and by withdrawing government forces from occupied schools. | 2014 – 2022 | |
| Ensure that activities are undertaken to implement the Alternative Education System—including its Accelerated Learning Program, Community Girls' Schools, and the Pastoralist Education Program—all of which aim to improve literacy and provide out-of-school populations an alternative approach to formal education. | 2021 – 2022 | |
| Increase the scope of social programs to reach more children at risk of child labor, including those involved in commercial sexual exploitation, agricultural work, and work with livestock, as well as those from low-income families, those living in rural areas, and girls. | 2012 – 2022 | |
| Continue to cooperate with child protection agencies, pursuant to Article 2.1.10 of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, to disarm and immediately release children in armed groups and transfer them to appropriate social services providers. Ensure that the rehabilitation services provided to child soldiers are sufficient. | 2014 – 2022 |
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 15, 2023. For more information, please see the “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
http://data.uis.unesco.org/ - ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Fifth Housing and Population Census (CENSUS), 2008. Analysis received March 2023. Please see “Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 13, 2023.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 13, 2022.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2022: South Sudan. Washington, D.C., July 19, 2022.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-sudan/ - U.S. Embassy- Juba official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. February 20, 2019.
- Glinski, Stefanie. In South Sudan, civil war drives more children onto the streets, into work. February 13, 2018.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180213100021-ctxmr/ - Mednick, Sam. In South Sudan, some children work in mines to survive. Associated Press, September 12, 2018.
https://apnews.com/1bf0475f053344859b9217ae3a979d51/In-South-Sudan,-some-children-work-in-mines-to-survive - U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 14, 2021.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. February 11, 2021.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 28, 2022.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 30, 2023.
- UNICEF. Humanitarian Situation Report No. 12 (Jan-Dec 2022). February 16, 2023.
https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/unicef-south-sudan-humanitarian-situation-report-no-12-1-january-31-december-2022 - UN General Assembly. Children and Armed Conflict: Report of the Secretary-General. June 5, 2023: A/77/895-S/2023/363.
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/144/96/PDF/N2314496.pdf?OpenElement - The Global Protection Cluster. Protection Advocacy Note to HCT: Cattle Related Violence. May 2019. Source on file.
- Government of the Republic of South Sudan, Ministry of National Education and Instruction. Education Needs Assessment: South Sudan. 2021.
https://mogei.gov.ss/super/assets/documents/resources/2021 Nat-Education Census Report_Final.pdf - UN General Assembly. Report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan A/HRC/40/69. Published: February 21, 2019.
https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/report-commission-human-rights-south-sudan-ahrc4069 - U.S. Embassy- Juba. E-mail from Post. June 15, 2022.
- The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative. South Sudan Country Report: Children & Security. April 3, 2018.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/632482dc1b943212b681b181/t/633470b6e6c8ee3785a14010/1664381111419/South-Sudan-April-2018.pdf - U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 10, 2020.
- U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. January 14, 2019.
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https://cng-cdn.oxfam.org/heca.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/Born-to-be-Married-Child Marriage in South Sudan.pdf - UNESCO. Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children: South Sudan Country Study. May 2018.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265399 - Government of the Republic of South Sudan. The Child Act, 2008/Act No. 10. Enacted: February 10, 2009.
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=&p_isn=83470&p_country=SSD&p_count=20 - Government of the Republic of South Sudan. Labour Act, 2017/Act No. 64. Enacted: October 24, 2017. Source on file.
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http://web.archive.org/web/20180211232836/http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/5133/The-Transitional-Constitution-Of-The-Republic-Of-South-Sudan-2011.aspx - Government of the Republic of South Sudan. The Sudan People's Liberation Army Act, 2009. Enacted: 2009.
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/MONOGRAPH/98164/116700/F1105592601/SSD98164.pdf - Government of the Republic of South Sudan. General Education Act, 2012/Act No. 30. Enacted: 2012. Source on file.
- U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report- 2021: South Sudan. Washington, D.C., July 1, 2021.
https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-sudan/ - GAN Integrity: Risk and Compliance Portal. South Sudan Risk Report. September 30, 2020.
https://www.ganintegrity.com/portal/country-profiles/south-sudan/ - U.S. Embassy- Juba official. E-mail communication to USDOL official. June 16, 2023.
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https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/south-sudan/ - ILO. Strategies and practice for labour inspection. November 2006. Please see “Labor Law Enforcement: Sources and Definitions” in the Reference Materials section of this report.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb297/pdf/esp-3.pdf - ILOEST. ILO modelled estimates and projections (ILOEST)-Population and Labor Force. Accessed January 31, 2023. Labor force data is modelled on a combination of demographic and economic explanatory variables by the ILO. Please see "Labor Law Enforcement Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/ - U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. February 22, 2019.
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https://unmiss.unmissions.org/south-sudan-implement-zero-tolerance-children-army - Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism in South Sudan (CTSAMVM) CTSAMVM Compositions and Functions. 2020. Source on file.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20180913120753/http://ctsamm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/CTSAMM-REPORT-201802-CHILD-SOLDIERS.pdf - U.S. Embassy- Juba. Reporting. February 10, 2020.
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https://docs.pca-cpa.org/2016/02/South-Sudan-Peace-Agreement-September-2018.pdf - Ministry of Defense. Extension of Comprehensive Action Plan on CAAC. October 2022.
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access. December 21, 2017.
http://web.archive.org/web/20220302153926/https://igad.int/attachments/article/1731/1712 21 Signed CoH Agreement.pdf - Government of the Republic of South Sudan, Ministry of General Education and Instruction. The General Education Strategic Plan, 2017–2022. May 2017.
https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/general-education-strategic-plan-2017-2022-south-sudan - United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. South Sudan: Comprehensive Action Plan to End & Prevent All Grave Violations Against Children Signed by Government. February 7, 2020.
https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/2020/02/south-sudan-comprehensive-action-plan-to-end-prevent-all-grave-violations-against-children-signed-by-government/ - United Nations Country Team- South Sudan. Newsletter. July 2022.
https://southsudan.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/UNCT Newsletter July Edition 2022.pdf - ILO Committee of Experts. Direct Request concerning Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) South Sudan (ratification: 2012). Published: 2023.
https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=1000:13100:0::NO:13100:P13100_COMMENT_ID,P13100_COUNTRY_ID:4325427,2697100 - UNICEF. More children released from South Sudanese armed groups. August 7, 2018.
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-children-released-south-sudanese-armed-groups-unicef - Child Soldiers International. Annual Report 2017–18. September 2018.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/child-soldiers-international-annual-report-2017-18
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