UN Commission on Human Rights begin 7th field mission to South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia

JUBA (19 August 2019) – Members of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan will begin their seventh field mission to South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia today. The mission will take place from 19 to 29 August 2019. 

The Commissioners intend to visit camps and settlements for internally displaced persons across South Sudan, including the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Protection of Civilian sites, to meet the people living there, community leaders and civil society organizations including women organizations.  

The three Commissioners taking part in the mission, Yasmin Sooka (chairperson), Andrew Clapham and Barney Afako will spend six days in South Sudan (19 to 24 August). They are expected to meet Government officials, including key ministers, members of civil society, religious leaders, diplomats and UN agencies and UNMISS staff, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer, to discuss the current human rights situation in the country.

The Commissioners will hold a press conference on Friday 23 August 2019 at 1100 hrs in the UNMISS Tomping Base.
From 25 to 29 August 2019, the Commissioners will separately visit Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya, where they will engage with refugees who have been recently displaced from South Sudan. In Ethiopia, they will hold meetings with African Union leaders, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), senior UN officials, as well as other members of the international community.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to, among other things; determine and report the facts and circumstances of, collect and preserve evidence of, and clarify responsibility for alleged gross violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes, including sexual and gender-based violence and ethnic violence, with a view to ending impunity and providing accountability. The Commission will present an oral update on the human rights situation in South Sudan to the Human Rights Council on 16 September 2019 and a comprehensive written report in March 2020.

Media outlets attending the press conference are kindly asked to come with a valid press card/ID and arrive no later than 10:30 hrs to facilitate security clearance and entry into UNMISS Tomping Camp. For planning purposes, please kindly confirm your participation by email or phone to the following:
Peter Mwesigwa (in Juba) + 211 (0) 912 166229 / pmwesigwa@ohchr.org
Joseph Bonsu (in Addis Ababa) +251 955 331 837 / jbonsu@ohchr.org

For more information about the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, please see:http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/co-h-south-sudan/index