Key points of the action plan of the South Sudan National Police Service:

  • A national seven-person committee will oversee the implementation. Focal points in the field will track progress and gaps and report to the committee.
  • Review and disseminate institutional mechanisms and disciplinary procedures, strengthen vetting processes to make sure that perpetrators are not recruited to the police force.
  • Special Police Units across the country will be trained to investigate cases of conflict-related sexual violence.
  • Extensive capacity building of police personnel, including on the prohibition of sexual violence and the obligation to report such incidents.
  • A survivor-centered approach to investigations, including interviewing and collection of forensic evidence.
  • Planning, instigating, abetting, ordering, failing to stop such acts by subordinates or not to hold them accountable.
  • Conduct investigations of reported incidents and improve the system of documenting such cases.
  • Strengthened coordination with other organized forces (for example the South Sudan People’s Defence Force, which adopted its own action plan in 2018).
  • Protection of victims, witnesses of judicial actors, thus promoting people to speak out and demand accountability without fear.
  • Educational messages to end stigma and social exclusion of survivors. Best methods to be discussed with the UN, civil society organizations and other partners.
  • Protection by prevention: close cooperation between the police, civil society organizations, the UN and others involved in providing services (protection/support) to survivors.
  • Engage communities in dialogues, early warning systems to predict/identify/mitigate/respond to situations of police officers committing acts of sexual violence.
  • Monitoring and evaluation: will require the development of a “specific tool” (UNPOL and the Office of the Senior Women’s Protection Adviser to support).
  • Quarterly reports to be sent to the leadership of the South Sudan National Police Services and the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

For more information: https://bit.ly/33aemm5.