Diana Mouah Martin the ICRC's Sexual Violence Operations Speaking to journalist during a media engagement in Juba on 19 June, on The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed annually on June 19 to raise awareness of the impact of conflict- Photo credit :Michael Daniel

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on journalists in South Sudan to adopt responsible, survivor-centered narratives when reporting on sexual violence in conflict.

Speaking in Juba on June 18, 2026, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, ICRC Sexual Violence Operations Manager Diana Mouah Martin stated that public communication directly impacts victims.

“The way sexual violence is communicated publicly can really have a profound impact on victims and survivors,” Mouah Martin told the gathered journalists. “Journalists and media professionals are important partners in promoting accurate, responsible and survivor-centered narratives.”

South Sudan continues to face challenges with armed conflict, communal violence, and social norms that contribute to occurrences of sexual violence across communities. The ICRC’s approach in the country is structured around three pillars: prevention, risk mitigation, and response.

On prevention, the ICRC engages directly with parties to armed conflict, including weapon bearers, military commanders, and non-state armed groups, regarding obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Under IHL, rape, forced prostitution, forced abortion, and forced nudity constitute sexual violence and are prohibited.

“Sexual violence committed in connection with an armed conflict is not only a war crime,” ICRC Head of Delegation Daniel Bunnskog stated, “but it also breaks communities apart by causing stigma and harm over multiple generations.”

At the community level, the ICRC works alongside the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) in 23 locations across the country. The teams conduct outreach sessions, radio programmes, football tournaments, and street theatre to create spaces to discuss issues surrounding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Institutional data from 2024 and 2025 outlines the scale of these operations. The ICRC and SSRC reached more than 5,000 community members with awareness-raising sessions in 2024.

In 2025, they trained over 600 weapon bearers and more than 500 community influencers—including religious leaders, health workers, and police personnel—on how to handle and prevent SGBV cases.

SSRC volunteers reached over 27,000 people with messages on sexual violence prevention. Perceptions that normalize SGBV dropped by 14% among weapon bearers and 18% in monitored communities across South Sudan and Ethiopia.

In early 2024, the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) issued an order stating that Form 8—a police medical report form—would no longer be required as a precondition for survivors of sexual violence to access medical care. Previously, this bureaucratic requirement caused delays and deterred victims from seeking immediate treatment.

However, Mouah Martin noted a continuing gap between national policy and reality in rural jurisdictions.

“It has not trickled to the villages, to the counties, to the payam,” Mouah Martin said at the workshop. “We still go to the field and find victims being asked for money to get the Form 8. It’s not even free of charge.”

When healthcare facilities in remote areas remain unaware of the new order, survivors are sent between police posts and hospitals. This causes them to lose the critical 72-hour window required for post-rape medical care, including HIV prevention treatment.

In response, the ICRC is printing and distributing physical copies of the police order at every community training session so survivors can present the document to local authorities.

“As a media,” Mouah Martin told the journalists, “you also have a role in disseminating this new order.”

The ICRC has planned upcoming roundtable discussions with nine government ministries to assess the reach of the directive and determine further implementation steps.

The ICRC emphasized that survivors have needs extending beyond emergency medicine, including justice, mental health support, protection, and livelihood assistance if displacement or violence disrupts their income.

In 2024, 36 survivors received individualized support from the ICRC, which included protection documentation, mental health and psychosocial support, cash assistance, and referrals to partner organisations. Cash assistance is utilized to cover transportation costs to healthcare facilities and to address immediate safety needs when survivors face ongoing threats.

The ICRC also assists survivors seeking livelihood recovery through its Economic Security teams and connects individuals with legal aid organizations.

Katy Lorent, ICRC Head of Operations, provided an assessment of the challenges facing victims.

“Sexual violence has devastating consequences for individuals, for families and communities,” Lorent said. “It is often hidden due to fear of reprisal, stigma, and concerns about safety and lack of access to services.”

In many communities, survivors of sexual violence still encounter family rejection, divorce, and social ostracization. SSRC volunteers work directly within communities to address this social stigma.

“Communities should support survivors of sexual violence, not stigmatise them,” SSRC volunteer Charles Bahari said.

The June 18 workshop underscored that how the media covers sexual violence affects public outcomes. The ICRC stated that irresponsible reporting can re-traumatize survivors, while silence allows the issue to persist.

“The media play a crucial role in shaping public perceptions and influencing how duty bearers and communities understand and address occurrences of sexual violence,” Mouah Martin concluded.