members of the internally displaced persons in South Sudan sheltering at the protection of civilians manned by the United Nations have come together to form a body advocacy group.
The new body named South Sudanese Internally Displaced Persons Civil Society Organization, SSISCO, has elected the board and selected Kilkil Sammy Lony from youth for change organization to head the civil society. The objectives of SSISCO, according to Sam, is to advocate for the voiceless internally displaced persons in the camp.
Another objective, he added, is to fight for the rights of the internally displaced, including in the employment, combating Gender Based Violence, Sanitary improvement and report to the relevant authority any individual or group of NGOs that do not perform to the expectations. Sam said the board has started its work and met the UN Security council who recently visit the protection of civilian site and shared with them all the challenges facing members of displaced as well giving recommendations for improvement of the security. One of the concerns raised by the new body to the UNSC during their visit was the killing of displaced in Bor, Malakal and others places with impunity .
The board comprises 8 organisations, including Youth for Change, Western Upper Nile Women Working Group, Greater Upper Nile Orphan organization for Assistance, Nile Star Global for Change, goodhearted orphan organization & Disable organization, Nilotic community peace and Empowerment and the Jenubna Development foundation. Each advocacy group nominated a representative to the coalition.
This is the first time the groups of different organizations within the camp have together to form a coalition advocating for the rights of the displaced the since the establishment of the camp after the war broke out in 2013.