Cithou, a small village 30 kilometers from Kuajok, is aptly named “the hidden place.” Isolated by muddy roads caused by devastating floods, it’s a place that few have seen or heard of.

That, however, is set to change, following a first ever visit by peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Unsurprisingly, their journey into the unknown, undertaken to bring the global 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence and a message of solidarity to Cithou, was a difficult one, through rough and at times swampy terrain. But they made it.

Uniformed and civilian peacekeeping staff were welcomed with open arms and residents eager to share their stories.

“I must admit that we often feel forgotten,” said Akon Lual, a mother of five. “Our children don’t go to school. We started making bricks to build one, but we couldn’t finish it. Hunger and insecurity hold us back every day.”

It is not only a school that is missing in Cithou, where healthcare facilities and police are also conspicuous by their absence. Come diseases or snake bites – both frequent during the rainy season – and people living here are left to fend for themselves.

“For us, flooding is not an inconvenience, it’s life-threatening. On the other hand, if we only had the necessary tools and a bit of support, rains could turn into opportunities for farming,” Paramount Chief Deng Mayom pondered.

Apart from the glaring lack of infrastructure and agricultural equipment, and the food insecurity that tends to follow in its wake, perpetrators of gender-based violence and other crimes can typically rest assured that they won’t be held accountable.

“Without police or access to justice, impunity reigns. It means that our women and children don’t feel as safe as they should and deserve to do,” said Deng, the Paramount Chief.

Cithou’s women do not, however, have to look far into history to find inspiration and hope for more influential roles in their community.