South Sudan Faces Dual Humanitarian Crises as Child Labor and Severe Flooding Intensify
South Sudan is facing mounting humanitarian pressures as new data highlights a surge in child labor alongside severe flooding affecting hundreds of thousands across the country.
A government-backed report, produced with support from Save the Children and published on October 24, found that nearly two-thirds of South Sudanese children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labor, with rates reaching up to 90% in the worst-affected communities. According to Al Jazeera, many children are working in hazardous sectors including mining, agriculture, construction, and informal domestic labor. Aid groups warn that ongoing conflict, widespread poverty and food insecurity are stripping children of access to education and pushing families into dangerous coping mechanisms.
At the same time, catastrophic flooding has impacted more than 960,000 people across six states, displacing at least 335,000, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Over 140 health facilities have been damaged or cut off, weakening healthcare access amid cholera and malaria outbreaks, Xinhua reported.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded more than 104,000 malaria cases and 16 deaths in the past week alone — a 15% rise linked to stagnant floodwaters. Aid agencies are struggling to reach isolated communities in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile states.
Humanitarian responders are delivering food, medical supplies and emergency shelter, while the International Organization for Migration has committed $8.5 million to build flood-resilient infrastructure in Bor. The UN Population Fund continues distributing dignity kits and supporting services for women and girls at risk of gender-based violence.
Aid agencies warn that without urgent funding and expanded access, South Sudan’s overlapping crises could worsen, leaving millions of children increasingly vulnerable.
