No Simple Solutions: Women, displacement and durable solutions in South Sudan

Abstract

Conversations around returns and relocations of internally displaced people and refugees in South Sudan and the future of the UN Protection of Civilians sites are often framed by clear-cut distinctions between single push and pull factors. This framing – often based on perceptions of international actors of what internally displaced people or refugees do or should think – ignores the fact that decisions to stay or to move are made based on complex motivations, in contexts of high uncertainty and, especially for women, limited information. This report aims to bring the voices and experiences of South Sudanese women to the fore, exploring the motivations and intentions of returning and displaced women in the country. The report argues that current movement trends are complex, and returns are often open-ended and non-linear. Given these dynamics, and as women and girls face distinct threats during displacement and return, the report advocates for a more gender-sensitive and durable solutions approach to population movements in South Sudan.