Trajectories of International Engagement with State and Local Actors: Evidence from South Sudan

The paper traces shifts in international engagement and the implications of these shifts for understanding the trends in service provision specifically, and recovery and development more generally, in South Sudan. This analysis is intended to offer some direction for the future of international engagement in fragile and conflict-affected states around the objectives of service delivery and state-building.
The paper traces trends from the civil war through the post-CPA and Independence era to the renewed violent conflict of late 2013 through 2015, to explore whether there is any strong link at the ground level between service provision (including basic services such as health, education and water, as well as livelihoods support and social protection) and state-building.

Complexities of Service Delivery and State-Building

The SLRC South Sudan programme has been working since 2012 to identify and understand the realities of livelihoods, access to basic services, and perceptions of governance in post-independence South Sudan. This briefing paper summarises findings from the publications of SLRC South Sudan over the life of the programme. Key findings include:
State-building involves highly political, long-term, internal processes. The presumed link between service delivery and people’s improved views of the state was not straightforward in South Sudan even before its decline into the current armed conflict.
Before the return to widespread armed conflict, people’s reported priorities were physical security, perceived fairness in resource allocation, and any access to services, regardless of whether they were provided by the state. In the future, both internal and external actors should prioritise resources and capacity at the local level, and enhanced information for and participation of local authorities and communities.

Livelihoods and Conflict in South Sudan

The SLRC South Sudan programme has been working since 2012 to identify and understand the realities of livelihoods, access to basic services, and perceptions of governance in post-independence South Sudan.
This briefing paper summarises findings from the publications of SLRC South Sudan over the life of the programme, including reflecting a shift in aid focus to humanitarian action following the outbreak of large-scale armed conflict in December 2013.

Statebuilding and Legitimacy: Experiences of South Sudan

Using South Sudan as a case, this report interrogates people’s perceptions of the state, focusing on sources of legitimacy that are not primarily related to service delivery. It covers the period from the onset of civil war in 1983 to the present time. We underline the importance of historical antecedents of policies and practices of the government during the Interim Period (2005-2011) and subsequently of the South Sudanese state.
Accordingly, the report addresses the following key questions: What ideas, ideologies and actions did leaders of the SPLM/A employ during the war to challenge the legitimacy of the Sudanese state and also to mobilise public support for their cause? How did these ideas, ideologies and actions influence the legitimacy of government and state structures after the war ended in 2005? What are the key sources of legitimacy of the South Sudanese state?

Capitalizing Community: Waste, Wealth, and (Im)Material Labor in Kampal

Biomass briquettes have emerged as a development silver bullet, supposedly converting waste to wealth and tackling crises of unemployment, urban waste management, and rural deforestation. Briquettes have captured the imagination of international environmental NGOs operating in many African cities who promote briquette production, partnering with local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to improve urban livelihoods and sanitation.
Based on ethnographic research conducted in Kampala, Uganda, this article examines the entanglement of material and immaterial labor in the production of briquettes. The outcome of these production processes is to capitalize Community, transforming everyday socio-spatial relations into an agential entrepreneurial subject fit to receive aid and carry out development. This has the additional effect of exacerbating differences of gender and education within the CBO, alienating the CBO from the rest of Bwaise, and reproducing the racial hierarchies of the development economy.

Urban Climate Change, Livelihood Vulnerability and Narratives of Generational Responsibility in Jinja, Uganda

There is an urgent need to understand lived experiences of climate change in African cities, where even small climate shocks can have significant implications for the livelihoods of the urban poor. This article examines narratives of climate and livelihood changes within Jinja Municipality, Uganda. We demonstrate how climate change in Jinja is widely attributed to perceived moral and environmental failings of a present generation. A focus on local ontologies of climate change highlights how multiple, intersecting vulnerabilities of contemporary urban life in Jinja obfuscate not only the conditions of possible immediate futures, but longer-term horizons for future generations, as changing weather patterns exacerbate existing challenges people face adapting to wider socio-economic changes and rising livelihood vulnerability.
This analysis situates changing climate and environments within the context of everyday urban struggles and emphasizes the need for civic participation in developing climate change strategies that avoid the pitfalls of climate reductionism.

The Influence of Governance Rearrangements on Flood Risk Management in Kampala, Uganda

The importance of governance rearrangements (reassignment of positions, roles, and responsibility among actors in governance processes) and their implications on flood risk management has gained currency. However, much work has concentrated on building and applying frameworks to evaluate impacts of decentralisation, while frameworks to evaluate recentralisation remain lacking. This paper uses the case of Bwaise III informal settlement in Kampala to assess the impacts of local government rearrangements on flood mitigation.
We adapted a Water Governance Assessment Framework and conducted 22 in-depth interviews with stakeholders, searched documentary sources, and carried out transect walks. We generated qualitative data on stakeholder experiences and perceptions regarding governance quality and flood mitigation prereform and postreform. Results show that rearrangements led to time and cost savings, increased revenue, and sped up the implementation of flood management strategies and measures. The findings can be useful to policymakers at the interface of governance and flood management.

On Exposure, Vulnerability and Violence: Spatial Distribution of Risk Factors for Climate Change and Violent Conflict across Kenya and Uganda

Recent studies discuss linkages between climate change and violent conflict, especially for East Africa, and focusing on whether climate change increases risk of violent conflict. However, little is known about where a climate-conflict link is most likely to be found. We address this question by analyzing spatial distribution of factors commonly associated with high exposure and vulnerability to climate change, and violent conflict onset in Kenya and Uganda.
Drawing on recent literature and quantitative data from 1998-2008, we develop specifications of a composite risk index (CRI) for Kenya and Uganda in 2008. A quantitative comparison with conflict data for 2008 provides support for the CRI. Finally, the CRI is contrasted with findings from three qualitative case studies, which provide mixed support for the index and help identify its strengths and weaknesses as well as conceptual needs for further quantitative studies on climate change and violent conflict.

Vulnerability of Indigenous Health to Climate Change: A Case Study of Uganda’s Batwa Pygmies

The potential impacts of climate change on human health in sub-Saharan Africa are wide-ranging, complex, and largely adverse. The region’s Indigenous peoples are considered to be at heightened risk given their relatively poor health outcomes, marginal social status, and resource-based livelihoods; however, little attention has been given to these most vulnerable of the vulnerable. This paper contributes to addressing this gap by taking a bottom-up approach to assessing health vulnerabilities to climate change in two Batwa Pygmy communities in rural Uganda. Rapid Rural Appraisal and PhotoVoice field methods complemented by qualitative data analysis were used to identify key climate-sensitive, community-identified health outcomes, describe determinants of sensitivity at multiple scales, and characterize adaptive capacity of Batwa health systems.
The findings stress the importance of human drivers of vulnerability and adaptive capacity and the need to address social determinants of health in order to reduce the potential disease burden of climate change.

Perceptions and Vulnerability to Climate Change among the Urban Poor in Kampala City, Uganda

Climate risks and vulnerability continue to disproportionately affect the urban poor given their constrained adaptive capacity. This paper examines the urban poor’s perceptions and vulnerability to climate change in Kampala through structured interviews and focus groups with randomly selected households in informal settlements, and additional key informant interviews. The vast majority of households were aware of climate change, mainly perceived as rising temperatures and reduction in rainfall. Floods and droughts were the most commonly experienced climate risks.
Perceptions and vulnerability to climate risk varied with incomes, education level, marital status, main occupation, housing conditions and length of stay. Individuals with less wealth and education, employed in informal business and having insecure housing tenure were most vulnerable to flooding than they are to drought. The sensitivity of the urban poor communities is heightened by ecosystem degradation, poor access to urban infrastructure, utilities and services.

Maintenance Space: The Political Authority of Garbage in Kampala, Uganda

In the name of cleaning up Kampala’s political institutions and public space, the Kampala Cap ital City Authority (KCCA), was established in 2010. To legitimize its contested and explicitly antipolitical authority, it made garbage collection and beautification its top priority, promising routine urban repair and mundane maintenance in exchange for suspending electoral democracy in Uganda’s capital city. This article argues the exceptional space of the repair site is paradigmatic of municipal power over the city overall.
Based on ethnography of municipal waste management and the KCCA, it elaborates the concept of maintenance space to theorize how the entanglement of sovereign and governmental power produces the city as a particular kind of territory. Because the work of maintenance and repair is continuous and ongoing, maintenance space endures. Far from a short-lived inconvenience, its exception becomes the foundational norm of technocratic authority.

Is promoting war trauma such a good idea?

The introduction of trauma narratives has created a market where some are able to thrive, but many deeply troubled individuals remain invisible. The authors found no social benefits from promoting trauma, and few positive effects for individuals. Arguments for urgently upscaling mental health interventions of the kinds highlighted by the review in The Lancet, and which the authors have observed on the ground, should be treated with caution.

Reintegration of former child soldiers in northern Uganda: Coming to terms with children’s agency and accountability

Reintegration processes of formerly abducted children have yielded limited success in northern Uganda. The article seeks answers to the question why reintegration processes in the area have failed. The approach of one Christian non-governmental organization towards reintegration is compared with the ideas and strategies of formerly abducted child soldiers and people in their communities on how best to deal with their violent past.

Perceptions and Attitudes towards Climate Change in Fishing Communities of the Sudd Wetlands, South Sudan

This study investigated local ecological knowledge concerning climate change in the Sudd Wetlands of South Sudan. Using semi-structured questionnaires, the authors found that South Sudanese fisherfolk perceived that they had been negatively affected by climate change over the past decade. They felt that temperatures, floods and droughts had all been higher than normal, while seasons and rainfall had become more unpredictable.
This had led to destruction of fishing villages and camps, lost/damaged fishing equipment, reduced catches and trade, among other concerns. Respondents linked climate change to local tree felling, the anger of God and ancestors, as well as natural variation.

Local Communities Vulnerability to Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in Bukavu in DR Congo

Vulnerabilities analysis can help answer where and how society can best invest in vulnerability reduction. This study aimed at exploring vulnerability and adaptation strategies to climate change of local communities in Bukavu in DR Congo. Participatory action research was used in six villages from three collectivities around the Kahuzi Biega Park. Results showed that (a) perception of climate change depends on what people can see and feel about climate, (b) climate-related risks exacerbated existing problems and created new combinations of risks such as loss of livelihoods and deepening poverty cycle associated, (c) a range of adaptation measures was used or envisaged, and (d) implementation of those measures was hampered by a range of barriers.
It is therefore imperative for climate change and climate variability measures to be taken seriously and for adaptation strategies to be integrated into all spheres of public policy making with focus on key economic development sectors.

Population Displacement and Sustainable Development: The Significance of Environmental Sustainability in Refugee–Host Relationships in the Congo−Brazzaville Crises

The Republic of Congo experienced repeated outbreaks of armed conflicts between militiamen affiliated to three main political factions, which affected the socioeconomic fabrics of the Congolese society until late 2000. This paper examines the socioeconomic and environmental impact of interactions between the local population and forcibly displaced people from an environmental sustainability perspective.
The findings hold that the impact of repeated political violence and associated livelihoods insecurity escalated resentment towards refugees regarded by some members of the local population as scroungers, despite their visible contribution toward innovative community projects. It is also shown here that although refugees’ livelihoods initiatives were environmentally sustainable, institutional disregard and misrepresentations enhanced misleading interpretations and subjectivities. It is proposed therefore that environmental sustainability is one of the key ingredients in refugee−host relations.

Impact of Nyiragongo Volcanic Eruptions on the Resilience to the COVID-19 and Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Eruptions of the Nyiragongo volcano in May 2021 caused unfathomable damage, including loss of life and property, and displacement of thousands of people, affecting the city of Goma in particular. Furthermore, it charred health and school infrastructures and decimated crops and compounded challenges to COVID-19 and Ebola response through interruption of surveillance, preventive measures and vaccination. In this paper, we discuss the impacts of the volcanic eruption on population health and Ebola preparedness and response in the context of the global COVID-19 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The authors argue it is critical to provide basic needs to victims of the Nyiragongo volcanic eruptions in the disaster’s aftermath. Local and global humanitarian organizations are needed to assist residents in relocating. Furthermore, appropriate and adjusted mitigation strategies will significantly prevent Ebola, COVID-19, and other infectious diseases.

Land Tenure in South Sudan: Does it Promote Climate Change Resilience?

The authors analyse the South Sudanese Land Act 2009 with respect to its promotion of climate change resilience. Drawing on prior work and primary data, they argue that while the 2009 Land Act does contain clauses intended to promote climate resilience, these have barely been implemented. While statutory and customary land laws grant women some rights to land ownership and use, these are limited to sharing with their husbands after divorce and inheriting land from paternal family.
The authors further found that people displaced by climate are treated differently from those displaced by conflict, as climate induced shocks are assumed to be temporary.

Climate Change and Conflicts in South Sudan

This study investigates the extent of climate change, variability and the incidents of climate disaster events and links with conflicts in South Sudan using meteorological data, records of conflicts, floods and droughts.
The authors found that temperatures have increased and rainfall decreased since the 1970s, as well as associated flood and drought disasters. While they found no significant link between climate change and conflicts, they did note that conflicts occur after floods or droughts, suggesting that they may have contributed to conflict.

Climate Change and Gender in South Sudan

This study analyses existing literature and empirical data (including rainfall, temperature, health and nutrition, and climate disaster data) to investigate the difference in gender impacts of climate-related hazards in South Sudan. The authors argue that in South Sudan, women are more exposed to climate change disasters, have fewer resilience assets, rely more on natural resources, have high rate of illiteracy, low skills and low access to professional employment, and are therefore more vulnerable to climate change calamities than men.
They recommend that key government institutions mainstream climate change and gender equality measures, in order to design policies that equally empower women and men to become resilient to climate change impacts.

Climate Services Model for South Sudan’s Rural Farmers and Agro-pastoralists

This paper analyses a pilot study which used regional climate services to provide farmers in South Sudan with user-friendly seasonal weather information to inform their day-to-day farming activities, based on a similar service in Uganda. Taking place in rural Tonj South, Aweil West, and Aweil North, this paper studies climate services reception and application in South Sudan, the pilot climate service was first of its kind directly delivered to farmers and agro-pastoralists in the country. Using stakeholder discussions and end user feedback surveys, the study found that a majority of the project beneficiaries received climate conditions advice, used it, trusted it, and were interested to make use of such services in the future.
The authors recommend the establishment of a permanent national technical working group on climate services to coordinate, review, translate and disseminate climate information to key end users, supported by a financial and meteorological strategy for long-term climate services in South Sudan.

Confronting a Life-threatening Pollution: A Guide for Credible Environmental and Social Audit of Petroleum Companies’ Operations in South Sudan

This policy brief discusses how the recently proposed environmental and social audit of the petroleum companies’ operations by the Ministry of Petroleum can be conducted to generate scientific evidence that can assist in finding a permanent solution to pollution in South Sudan’s petroleum producing areas. The author argues that the proposed audit should: determine the extent of environmental and social damage, quantify the costs of remediation and rehabilitation, and assess the petroleum companies’ compliance with standards. The audit process should be independent, transparent, inclusive and participatory, with the firm chosen to conduct the audit procured through an international competitive bidding to ensure the results are credible and acceptable to all stakeholders.

Low Prevalence of Intestinal Schistosomiasis Among Fisherfolk Living Along the River Nile in North-Western Uganda: a Biosocial Investigation

This article asks: why is the prevalence of S. mansoni so low among fisherfolk in northern Uganda? Taking a biosocial approach, it suggests that the mass distribution of drugs, free of charge, has had an impact. However, the low prevalence of infection cannot be attributed to this alone. Other important factors may also have contributed to the decline in infection.

The ‘Other Diseases’ of the Millennium Development Goals: Rhetoric and Reality of Free Drug Distribution to Cure the Poor’s Parasites

A massive programme is now underway to treat the parasites of the poor in Africa via integrated vertical interventions of mass drug administration in endemic areas. The approach has been hailed as remarkably effective, with claims that there is now a real prospect of complete control and, for some NTDs, even elimination.
However, a closer look at evaluation and research data reveals that much less is known about what is being achieved than is suggested.

De-Politicizing Parasites: Reflections on Attempts to Control the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Large amounts of funding are being allocated to the control of neglected tropical diseases. Strategies primarily rely on the mass distribution of drugs to adults and children living in endemic areas. The approach is presented as morally appropriate, technically effective, and context-free. Anti-politics discourse about healing the suffering poor may shape thinking and help explain cognitive dissonance.
However, use of such discourse is also a means of strategically promoting vested interests and securing funding. Whatever the underlying motivations, rhetoric and realities are conflated, with potentially counterproductive consequences.

Border Parasites: Schistosomiasis Control among Uganda’s Fisherfolk

It is recognized that the control of schistosomisais in Uganda requires a focus on fisherfolk. Large numbers suffer from this water-borne parasitic disease; notably along the shores of lakes Albert and Victoria and along the River Nile. Since 2004, a policy has been adopted of providing drugs, free of charge, to all those at risk.
This paper highlights consequences of not engaging with the day to day realities of fisherfolk livelihoods; attributable, in part, to the fact that so many fisherfolk live and work in places located at the country’s international borders, and to a related tendency to treat them as “feckless” and “ungovernable”.

Resisting Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Dilemmas in the Mass Treatment of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in North-West Uganda

A strong case has recently been made by academics and policymakers to develop national programmes for the integrated control of Africa’s ‘neglected tropical diseases’. Uganda was the first country to develop a programme for the integrated control of two of these diseases: schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths.
This paper discusses social responses to the programme in Panyimur, north-west Uganda.

Does Mass Drug Administration for the Integrated Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases really work? Assessing Evidence for the Control of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Uganda

Less is known about mass drug administration [MDA] for neglected tropical diseases [NTDs] than is suggested by those so vigorously promoting expansion of the approach. This paper fills an important gap: it draws upon local level research to examine the roll out of treatment for two NTDs, schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths, in Uganda.

The Violence of Healing

This essay discusses violence and healing in response to war, drawing attention to the idea that violence and healing are often closely interconnected, and what may be judged to be violent acts can be expected to play a crucial role in social healing processes.

Justice at the Margins: Witches, Poisoners, and Social Accountability in Northern Uganda

Recent responses to people alleged to be ‘witches’ or ‘poisoners’ among the Madi of northern Uganda are compared with those of the 1980s. From 2006, a democratic system for dealing with suspects was introduced, whereby those receiving the highest number of votes are expelled from the neighborhood or punished in other ways.
These developments are assessed with reference to trends in supporting ‘traditional’ approaches to social accountability and social healing as alternatives to more conventional measures.

Quests for Therapy in Northern Uganda: Healing at Laropi Revisited

This article presents a case of diachronic ethnography. It examines quests for therapy among the Madi people of northern Uganda. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in and around the small trading centre of Laropi; originally in the late 1980s and again in 2008. Particularly important in recent years has been the increasing availability and accessibility of biomedicine, which the population have embraced and indigenized as a mark of progress and political recognition.
On the face of it, this has rendered recourse to more “traditional” forms of healing obsolete. However, as we describe, the situation is more ambiguous. Notions of witchcraft, spirit possession and ancestor veneration are more pervasive than they might seem.

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