South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is supporting the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to deploy the first Mobile Court to Renk Town from 30 Jan to 22 February 2025.
The statement issued by UNMISS on Thursday, said the mobile court will handle 52 serious cases involving inmates held at Renk County Prison since 2021, including 12 cases related to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
This initiative aims to ensure access to formal justice for South Sudanese citizens, regardless of their location, while holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to South Sudan and Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom, emphasised that mobile courts provide an effective solution to deliver justice to South Sudanese citizens.
“The mobile courts are an innovative solution for the delivery of justice to South Sudanese citizens and build credibility and trust in the rule of law,” said Haysom.
“The outcomes of past mobile courts, supported by UNMISS, have led to new cases being registered by people who have more confidence that justice will be served,” he added.
For the Renk mobile court, the Judiciary of South Sudan is sending two High Court judges, including one female judge, from Juba and Wau to oversee the cases. The court will also engage local prosecutors, investigators, and police officers to conduct investigations, present cases, and ensure the safety of both detainees and judges.
Previously, mobile courts have been deployed in Unity, Western Bahr El Ghazal, and Warrap in 2023 and 2024, significantly improving the delivery of justice, raising awareness of sexual violence and children’s rights, and fostering hope in communities that fair trials and accountability are possible.
As part of its broader mandate to protect civilians, especially women and children, UNMISS continues to support the South Sudanese government in building capacity and providing training on human rights, accountability, and the fight against impunity.
This includes assisting the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice, and other agencies with capacity-building efforts focused on human rights investigations, conflict-related sexual violence, and improving the country’s security and justice sectors.