Ex-child soldier, polio survivor, single mom, and 17 others are gathered in a classroom with a low ceiling and a slowly rotating, rattling fan. Today is a good day; we at least have some electricity for the fan. We are all here to spend another of our monthly Saturday mornings together. Over the past eight months, we have discussed, agreed, and disagreed on topics like human rights, cultural practices, gender roles and equality, traditional practices, and many others. Often, the structured plan of the session is diverted to completely different paths based on the needs and concerns of the people in the room.
UNMISS staff talk with future practitioners of official and traditional law
This room is in one of the faith-based universities of Juba. Thanks to funding and donations from Europe, participants from less privileged backgrounds have the opportunity for free academic education. The university can accredit master’s degrees from two faculties: Law and Theology. UNMISS (UN Mission in South Sudan) has a mandate to enhance the capabilities and capacity of Rule of Law actors in South Sudan, namely the police, and through the protection of civilians (POC). Our justification for investing in somewhat out-of-the-box counterparts is simple.
The law degree participants will either be employed by the local police in officer posts or start private law offices to assist victims of crimes. The theology students will become ministers and chaplains in rural areas. In a country like South Sudan, they will be seen as community leaders and implementers of traditional law in those rural areas where neither police nor courts exist. Justice and remedies for victims are delivered based on traditions and unofficial law. Among the participants there is also the first South Sudanese female chaplain. Knowing this, our team, SPT SGBV[1], reached out and started these monthly sessions in this room.
Our Saturdays have been a joy. It is inspiring to see the participants’ commitment to their education. Every Saturday when we arrive, they are cleaning the classroom to be ready for the sessions (there are no cleaners hired at this university). When we have our modest morning tea break with them, everyone handles the food with respect, and not a single crumb of food is thrown away. They understand that they are privileged to have a unique opportunity for a better future in a country where only about 35% of people can read and write. With the current financial situation of the State of South Sudan, the government is not able to pay salaries to any government actors, and thus schools are not functioning. This means that a new generation of South Sudanese children is spending their childhood in the streets, begging and hustling, and eventually losing the chance of a productive adulthood.
The study group plans to stay connected for a lifetime
In June, we will say our goodbyes to this pioneer class. We will remember them forever, and we hope they remember at least the discussions we had. In addition to building connections to the international community and expanding their understanding of the world beyond South Sudan’s borders, the most valuable connection they have gained is the connection between themselves. Once they graduate and are deployed to different parts of South Sudan, they will have a new support group that crosses faculty and ethnic lines. They now have a group of 20 people they can rely on in the future when they need advice from their peers and when we are no longer here. Based on the extremely good and trusting relationship we have been able to build together, it is likely that this program will continue in autumn 2025 with new graduates and new UN police officers.
Sometimes cooperation starts like love stories in movies: two strangers bump into each other at an airport in an unexpected country, and after some small misunderstandings, there is a happy ending. This is one of those stories that started like that. A random encounter at an airport led to the idea of this discussion group and cooperation across organizational lines, outside the box. We have trust in this group. In a few years, they will be community leaders and parents responsible for raising the next generation of South Sudanese. Our Saturday team will carry on long after we are gone, and the UN has shifted its focus to other countries struggling with conflicts and rebuilding the state.
Walking the Talk, UNMISS, SPT SGBV 2024-2025
Sari Rautarinta
The author is working as a United Nations Police Officer in UNMISS operation in South Sudan
[1] Specialized Police Team on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
