Geneva,
April 3, 2022 — The UN Human Rights Council on March 31, 2022 voted to renew in full the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, despite opposition from the government.
Speaking to the media from Geneva, Switzerland, John Fisher, Geneva director at Human Rights Watch, said the decision to renew the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan sends a strong message to South Sudan’s top leadership and it’s essential.
“The decision by the UN’s top human rights body to renew its investigative mandate on South Sudan sends a powerful message to the country’s leaders that accountability remains essential to the transition process.” said John Fisher, a director at Human Rights Watch.
Mr. Fisher calls on the government to cooperate with the Commission to make sure that the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights are implemented and systemic impunity for serious crimes are put to an end.
“In the face of a deteriorating human rights and humanitarian crisis, the government should cooperate with the Commission, implement its recommendations, and urgently fulfill their commitments to end systemic impunity for serious crimes.” John Fisher said.
The Director at Human Rights Watch reiterated that the Commission plays a vital role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations in the country, collecting and preserving evidence, and advancing accountability for serious violations and abuses.
The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan comprises of Yasmin Sooka (Chairperson, South Africa), Andrew Clapham (UK and Switzerland) and Barney Afako (Uganda).
The Commission’s mandate is to determine and report the facts and circumstances of, collect and preserve evidence of, and clarify responsibility for alleged gross violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes, including sexual and gender-based violence and ethnic violence, with a view to ending impunity and providing accountability.
The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan was established by the Human Rights Council for a one-year term on 23 March 2016 by resolution 31/20 and subsequently extended its mandate for an additional year in 2017 (through resolution 34/25), in 2018 (through resolution 37/31) in 2019 (through resolution 40/19), and 2020 (through resolution 43/27). Following the forty-sixth session in March 2021, the Council extended the Commission’s mandate for another year through resolution resolution 46/23.
