A mother and her children shelter under a tree in the bushes on their way to Uganda after being displaced by fighting in Pajok, Imatong State in April, 2017. PHOTO//James Akena/Reuters

South Sudan is among ten African countries that the Norwegian Refugee Council says have the world’s most neglected displacement crises.

The organization says the crisis in South Sudan has gained little media attention and is among the neglected crises with the lowest media coverage per displaced person.

According to its yearly list of “displacement crises the world has neglected,” the Norwegian Refugee Council says almost half of South Sudan’s population is in need of humanitarian assistance.

Countries topping the NRC’s list are characterized by insufficient economic support to meet the most basic humanitarian needs, limited media attention and lack of political will to solve the crises.

In February this year, the UN declared famine in parts of South Sudan.

Last year, South Sudan was ranked number 181 out of 188 countries below the human development index.

“The displacement crisis rarely attracts any media attention, the funding to humanitarian assistance does not match the grave needs,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

The report by NRC states that, four years of war, violence and terror has triggered waves of refugees fleeing South Sudan, and that the situation for the civilian population has deteriorated further.

It also says most of those who flee from South Sudan head to the neighboring countries or are displaced within their own country.

“Many of the displaced people have fled their homes multiple times, and each time they get increasingly vulnerable,” said Egeland.

The report noted that insecurity is preventing people from cultivating in many agricultural areas.

And those with cattle lose their livestock and cannot access pastures, while others are also prevented from accessing waters for fishing.

It says poor security situation is also making it difficult for the humanitarian community to access people in need.

Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo leads the list as most neglected humanitarian crisis, followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen, Palestine, Ukraine, Myanmar and Somalia, in that order.

“Most of those who flee head to neighboring countries or are displaced within their own country. The fact that most of these people do not turn up at our doorsteps, gives us no right to close our eyes to their suffering and does not remove our responsibility to assist,” said Egeland.

He said economic support to alleviate humanitarian crises must be given based on needs, and not be subject to geopolitical interests.

“The international community has not only forgotten these crises, but has never really shown sufficient willingness to contribute to a solution,” he added.

The report further called on the international community to work for long-term political solutions, which can lift these countries out of a negative spiral of violence, war and poverty.

The report titled; “African countries top list of neglected crises” was released on Thursday.