Locally-led peacebuilding in South Sudan

‘Nobody wants guns. Even the youth, they don’t want,’ spits Machar Dhuol Manguak emphatically, as his grip tightens around a clutch of spears. The spiritual leader isn’t sure exactly how old he is, but he knows he’s the oldest man in Rumbek Town. Nobody else from his age set is left — nobody else with the same tribal facial markings remains.

In a show of unity, Pakam and Luanyjang community leaders walked together through swampy terrain to share peace resolutions forged in their first-ever dialogue. This grassroots dissemination, led by youth and chiefs, marked a shift from conflict to cooperation—symbolising free movement, growing trust, and local ownership of peace as an ongoing, community-driven journey.

On 13-14 March, leaders from Jonglei and GPAA gathered in Juba to develop a locally driven peace and development strategy (2025-2030). Hosted by area-based partners, the dialogue emphasised local ownership, inter-communal governance, and sustainable economic pathways—moving beyond short-term fixes to long-term solutions for stability.

Despite deeply ingrained cultural norms, women in Deng-jock Payam have proven to be powerful peacebuilders. Through the Bridges of Peace initiative, they’ve led successful reconciliation efforts, yet their contributions remain overlooked. For lasting peace, we must challenge stereotypes and recognise that peacebuilding is not gendered—women are vital agents of change.

The first part of 2024 Year in Review looked at what happened, and in part II, David Vincent, Minagano Kape and Rob Lancaster look at the frustrations and issues emerging from those experiences... and lessons for 2025.

"This is painful in a way we can't forget."

Mothers bear the emotional and often physical brunt of intercommunal conflict: caught up in cattle raids, subject to gender based violence, kindnapping and the loss of their children.