In South Sudan's Tambura region, displaced women battle uncertainty and insecurity

Since violence erupted in Tambura, Western Equatoria, in 2021, thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes and seek sanctuary in displacement camps, where women still face a fragile security situation and uncertainty for the future of their children and families.

Among the displaced is widow Geonina Louis Wanja, who is no longer able to farm her land, access schools or hospitals for her children, or even feel safe carrying out simple tasks.

“Since the conflict started, we are not happy as women, our children are equally not happy. We are not even safe here in the camp. For some of us women who are widows, life is hard. There is no way to get food and people are being killed," she said, before adding: "For me, my husband has passed, I am here with my children who are orphans. Who will help me with these children?”

In South Sudan's Tambura region, plagued by sudden surges of ethnic violence since 2021, survival itself is uncertain for many of the tens of thousands of displaced persons. Among them, many women, mothers and widows, battle insecurity every day.

Catherine Pijani, a mother of four, is anxious every time she steps outside her tent.

"I am here with my four daughters. You can see our situation. Our biggest fear is we are not secure, maybe they will come and bomb us here in these tents. We are staying here, if anything happened, nobody will be our witness, we are staying with the favor of God," she said.

Large parts of South Sudan's population are faced with food insecurity, among them also the conflict-ridden Upper Nile region, where the UN recently warned that at least 40,000 people were "desperately" hungry.

A UN mission to safeguard civilians

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan established a temporary operating base in Tambura, when the conflict erupted, to provide a protective presence, deter violence, facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, and support reconciliation and peacebuilding.

In response to a recent surge in violence, the peacekeepers further increased patrols by day and night, to help protect and provide reassurance to civilians of all ethnicities and political affiliations, particularly those living in displacement camps.

Major Lul Brhane, UNMISS Ethiopian battalion commander at Tambura temporary base said, “Our mission, the first one, is civilian protection. In Tambura, there are many IDP camps [internally displaced people] where we are available to patrol. One is around Tambura. There are six IDP [displacement] camps in Tambura and we patrol night and day to serve and provide protection for security for the civilians. Patrols in Tambura keep on increasing again and again.”

These uniformed as well as civilian peacekeepers serving with UNMISS regularly engage with the displaced community to understand and respond to the rapidly evolving security situation.

They are also working with local and state authorities in a coordinated approach to enhance security, reduce tensions, and support peacebuilding.

Despite these efforts, the women of Tambura continue to struggle to survive. They are losing hope for their children and their voices remain united in one plea: for security, peace, and the chance to return home.