This report by Amnesty International describes the serious and significant mental health impact of South Sudan’s conflict to highlight the urgency for more attention and resources to improve the availability, accessibility, and quality of mental health services in the country. Drawing on interviews with internally displaced people, national and international government and humanitarian actors, the authors chart the extreme psychological distress felt by many, and how few of those affected had been able to access mental health or psychological support services. The authors argue that restoring mental health is a prerequisite for achieving and maintaining peace, stability, and reconciliation.
Report
“Our Hearts Have Gone Dark”: The Mental Health Impact of South Sudan’s Conflict
Regions
East and Southern AfricaCountries
South SudanRegional Hub
Central and East Africa HubRegional Hub Themes
Health, wellbeing and careSee also
Article
Community self-protection, public authority and the safety of strangers in Bor and Ler, South Sudan
Protection is not simply something done or delivered to people by states, humanitarian organisations and armed peacekeepers. We use interview data from communities in Bor and Ler, South Sudan, long affected by conflict, to show how attention to the relationship…
Central and East Africa Hub
Global Policy
2024
Article
Hiding in plain sight: IDP’s protection strategies after closing Juba’s protection of civilian sites
This article examines how former Protection of Civilian site (PoCs) residents are staying safe and protecting themselves after the United Nations Mission in South Sudan's (UNMISS) handing over of the PoCs to the Revitalised-Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU).
Central and East Africa Hub
Global Policy
2023
Related content
Evidence review
Rapid evidence synthesis: Mpox community protection
This note presents a rapid synthesis of evidence related to community protection in countries affected by the mpox clade 1b outbreak. Synthesising evidence related to community protection for mpox Medline, Africa Journals Online and Global Index Medicus were searched. IFRC,…
SSHAP
2025
Report
Meeting report: The impact of global aid funding cuts on people and programmes in South Sudan
Report of a roundtable with government actors, academics, development partners and journalists in South Sudan on the sweeping impacts on people and programmes of aid cuts and multiple, intersecting crises.
Central and East Africa Hub
SSHAP
2025
Briefing
Key considerations: Home-based care for mpox in Central and East Africa
This brief outlines key considerations on health system requirements for safe and inclusive home-based care for mpox.
Central and East Africa Hub
SSHAP
2025
Question Bank
Tools
Questions bank for healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks
This question bank is a menu of qualitative questions related to healthcare workers’ knowledge, perceptions and practices during infectious disease outbreaks.
SSHAP
2025