Towards Humanitarian Action that Intentionally Promotes Peace in South Sudan

Humanitarian action that promotes peace and addresses the causes of conflict is vital for food security and community resilience in South Sudan. In Upper Nile state, the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) has the potential to promote peaceful coexistence and social cohesion, although the peace impacts of its Humanitarian Response (HR) Project are currently unintentional. This paper proposes four theories of change for intentional peacebuilding: The first relates to livelihood opportunities and keeping children in school. The second concerns the connectedness between diverse ethnicities and communities through conflict-sensitive volunteerism. The third consists in helping socialized programme volunteers transition into leadership roles for greater transformational impacts. The fourth involves vertical and horizontal integration with broader development and peacebuilding efforts. Social cohesion could increase if the HR Project has measurable impact in these four areas. This paper provides actionable recommendations that would strengthen the SSRC’s peacebuilding impact while upholding the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.