Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan speaking during a joint press conference in Juba on Friday, 16th Feb 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio

The UN Human Rights Council has resolved to extend the mandate of its three-member Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan for a period of one year until April 2025.

The human rights body said the resolution on advancing human rights in South Sudan was adopted by a vote of 21 in favor, 8 against and 18 abstentions.

“The Council decided to extend the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, composed of three members, for a further period of one year,” reads a statement.

The UN body also requested the Commission to present a comprehensive report on the situation of human rights in South Sudan to the Council at its 58th session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue.

The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body formed and mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2016.

The Commission is mandated to investigate the situation of human rights in South Sudan and to make recommendations to prevent a deterioration of the situation, with a view to its improvement.

The Commission determines and reports the facts and circumstances of human rights violations and abuses, including by clarifying responsibility for crimes under national and or international law.

The Council has since renewed the commission’s mandate on an annual basis.

On March 2024, the government of South Sudan declared its objection to the renewal of the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan.

“The government of South Sudan is objecting to the renewal of the mandate of the commission of human rights in South Sudan because the commission is undermining the sovereignty of South Sudan,” said Justice Miniser Ruben Madol said at the 52nd Session of the UNHRC.

This came after the rights body presented a damning Mandate Report to the UN Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the country.

Dr. Gabriel Isaac Awow, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice, said one of the conditions is for the UN commission to submit a copy of its annual investigative reports to the South Sudan government before taking it to the headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Justice Awow said the submission of full UNCHR investigative reports will enable the government to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable.

The official said the second precondition is for UNCHR to hand over its role of monitoring violations to the UNMISS Human Rights Division based in Juba.

Awow further said the commission should not work independently without cooperation and coordination with the accountability institutions, which are the Judiciary and Ministry of Justice.

Meanwhile, Yasmin Sooka, the Chairperson of the Commission, said she learned that the government has not taken action against officials and individuals accused of human rights violations.