Women and children continue to suffer as South Sudan’s conflict continues, a team of United Nations human rights monitors said on Thursday.
The team was on a visit to South Sudan to monitor the human rights situation, and reported their initial findings at a press conference on Thursday.
“Women both young and old gave accounts of being gang raped by armed men in uniform,” Yasmin Sooka, who headed the UN investigation team said in a statement. “The women also raised the issue of numerous checkpoints mounted by government soldiers who extort ‘taxes’ from them,”
The team will deliver its report in March 2017, but highlighted how women have suffered throughout South Sudan’s continuing conflict.
“Women and children continue to face increasing socio-economic rights violations as a result of the ongoing conflict,” Sooka said.
But the body also raised other specific points that it was concerned about, besides the escalation of sexual violence against women and girls. Civil society and media freedom also continues to be threatened, and restrictions on UN and humanitarian officials are also increasing.
“The citizens of South Sudan who met with the Commissioners made a poignant plea for peace, justice and accountability,” Sooka said.