“We are not just numbers. We are the ones losing our homes, being raped, watching our children suffer.”

Awut Mabior is a mother and community leader in Warrap, one of the states in South Sudan most heavily impacted by intercommunal conflict. For too long, she has watched women carry the weight of war in silence. Now, she is speaking out, not just in sorrow but with strength – the strength of women who are still standing, still hoping, and still calling for justice.

“It’s women and children who carry the worst pain in this conflict. That’s why we’re begging the government and peace partners to come and see our plight, listen to us, and help us.”

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has heard her call, offering a glimmer of hope in a region where too many families have endured the sounds of gunfire and the pain of sudden loss.

The peacekeeping mission has launched a new project to help equip local communities with the skills and tools to better protect themselves by preventing conflict, resolving grievances, and building peace. The project, which will be delivered by Community Initiative Development Agency, includes establishing 10 community-based protection networks to help the government and security services respond quicker and more effectively to emerging threats.

It will also build the capacity of civil society members to monitor the security situation and human rights abuses, provide early warning of violence to enable rapid responses, promote reconciliation among warring communities, and engage with local authorities and security services.