Juba -The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) team in South Sudan recently concluded its fifth round of publications for a countrywide Mobility Tracking assessment. The exercise is repeated every three months to estimate the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees,  tracking mobility dynamics and associated multi-sectoral needs over time. 

"For the first time, IOM is able to publish a comprehensive comparative overview of needs among IDP and returnee communities in South Sudan" said Jean-Philippe Chauzy, IOM’s Chief of Mission in South Sudan. "We hope that the results of this assessment will enable the humanitarian community and the government to plan effective, evidence-based service delivery to affected populations".

Data collection for Mobility Tracking Round 5 took place in March 2019, six months after the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). DTM’s baseline population assessment reached 1,973 host-community locations and displacement sites across all seventy-eight counties of South Sudan, estimating a total of 1,420,189 IDPs and 1,125,200 returnees. Over ninety percent of these live in settlements covered in the multi-sectoral needs assessment component.

Continued conflict and communal tensions in parts of the country resulted in 52,268 new IDPs during the first three months of 2019, while the arrival of 534,082 returnees since the signing of R-ARCSS put pressure on services in areas of high return. Despite localized improvements, the situation remains concerning across most sectors. 

Comparing locations assessed in both Round 4 and Round 5, the number of people in need increased noticeably in some counties relative to November-December 2018. Needs are particularly high in small settlements, which are harder to reach for humanitarian actors.

Security remains a key concern, with over 50 per cent of the IDP population in Eastern Equatoria, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Lakes living in settlements with reports of conflict-related incidents. The same applies to returnees in Lakes, Jonglei, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Western Equatoria. 

Access to services is also limited. Forty-five per cent of IDPs and 52 per cent of returnees live in settlements where the main water source is further than 20 minutes away on foot. In Upper Nile, 29 percent of returnees live in communities reporting lack of access to food.

A network of 4,695 individuals countrywide contributed information for the assessment, including community leader, local authorities and humanitarian workers. 

IOM South Sudan’s DTM activities are supported by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the Japanese Government, the UK’s Department for International Development, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund.

For more information, please contact Nabie Loyce in Juba, Tel: +211912380115, Email: nloyce@iom.int