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Catalytic and focused interventions to reduce conflict drivers

The RSRTF South Sudan pioneers an innovative whole-of-system approach, financing integrated programmes that together lessen the destructive drivers of conflict and create more stable conditions in which development and resilience objectives may be realized.

RSRTF: Driving Stability, Resilience, and Peacebuilding in South Sudan

The RSRTF, commonly known as the Reconciliation, Stabilization, and Resilience Trust Fund due to its three main pillars of work, takes an integrated, area-based approach to programming in South Sudan, targeting conflict hotspots with strategic, locally led interventions. By addressing the root causes of conflict and engaging communities in peace agreements, the RSRTF promotes sustainable peace and resilience.

 

With flexible financing and collaborative partnerships, the RSRTF coordinates with UN agencies, donors, civil society, and the South Sudanese Ministry of Peacebuilding. The Fund focuses on delivering catalytic short-term stability measures while fostering long-term recovery and development through joint programming.

 

The RSRTF prioritizes transparency, accountability, and results-based management, with stakeholders able to access real-time program updates on the MPTF Office Gateway. Its work aligns with the United Nations' reform agenda, ensuring coherence across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts.

THE THREE MAIN PILLARS

RECONCILIATION

Rebuilding trust, promoting social cohesion, and fostering peaceful coexistence through inclusive conflict management and reconciliation efforts.

 

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES
 

  • Support peace agreements (e.g., Marial Bai, Pieri).

  • Enhance community dialogue and reconciliation forums.

  • Strengthen social structures to prevent violence.

  • Reintegrate ex-combatants and abductees.

  • Provide mental health and support for survivors of violence.

  • Use media to promote peace and peace education.

STABILIZATION

Enhancing Rule of Law and justice systems, peaceful political processes, restoring security, and strengthening the relationship between citizens and institutions.

 

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES
 

  • Improve access to justice and service delivery.

  • Strengthen the justice system's capacity.

  • Promote community policing and local security initiatives.

  • Support political dialogue and the national peace process.

  • Encourage responsive, transparent governance.

  • Promote media diversity and civic empowerment.

RESILIENCE

Building community capacities to deter violence, promote social integration, communal interdependency and foster self-reliance.

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES
 

  • Support non-violent community initiatives.

  • Create labor-intensive opportunities (e.g., cash-for-work).

  • Develop alternative livelihoods (e.g., agriculture, savings schemes).

  • Promote climate change adaptation and environmental protection.

  • Increase access to education and literacy programs.

The RSRTF embodies the vision of the United Nations’ reform process to realise more cohesive approaches for United Nations entities across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding spheres, working together to capitalize on their respective comparative advantages towards achieving collective outcomes. To date, the Fund has allocated funds to five area-based and three small grant thematic programmes. These programmes target select counties in Unity, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Central Equatoria and Jonglei states, as well as the GPAA.

RSRTF's Area-Based Programming: Addressing Conflict and Building Resilience in South Sudan

The Reconciliation, Stabilization, and Resilience Trust Fund (RSRTF) adopts an area-based approach to target conflict hotspots across South Sudan. This strategy concentrates resources to address the root causes of conflict while overcoming key obstacles to sustainable peace and development. With a focus on locally owned peace agreements and community-driven solutions, the RSRTF ensures a people-centered, inclusive approach to programming.

The area-based model integrates political strategy with urgent humanitarian responses, creating the conditions for stability and long-term resilience. By engaging local communities in contextual analysis and leveraging their expertise, the Fund designs locally relevant strategies tailored to the specific drivers of conflict within each area. This ensures that existing capacities are supported, building on community-led initiatives rather than imposing standardized national-level solutions.

 

Through its localized programming, the RSRTF places South Sudanese communities at the heart of decision-making, promoting holistic responses to complex challenges. This approach aims to stabilize volatile regions and lay the groundwork for sustained development efforts, fostering an environment where resilience can thrive.

 

The RSRTF’s innovative, area-based interventions reflect its commitment to local ownership, inclusivity, and long-term impact, positioning the Fund as a vital instrument for peacebuilding and development across South Sudan.

THEMATIC GRANTS

The RSRTF launched the Thematic Grants Window (TGW) in 2020 to enable fast-track funding for impactful initiatives in South Sudan. Originally known as the Small Grants Window, the TGW evolved to align with the national peace process following the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government. It focuses on political engagement and governance, addressing thematic gaps and supporting peacebuilding efforts. By responding quickly to opportunities, the TGW strengthens Area-Based Programmes (ABPs) and fosters sustainable stability and development.

Promoting Peace and Solidarity in the Face of COVID-19 in Juba, Bentiu and Wau

$500,000

08/2020–07/2021

IOM, CEPO, Action for Conflict Resolution (ACR)
The project was designed to deter violence connected to the spread of COVID-19, promote solidarity and tolerance, and combat xenophobia, stigmatization and hate speech. Its activities leverage traditional and mass media in shaping popular views and mobilize youth to influence the behaviours of their peer groups. The project aims to build trust between communities and state institutions responsible for prevention and response efforts, promoting civic participation in decision-making.

Targeted Support to Peace Implementation: Enhancing Political and Civic Space

US$ 500,000

04/2020–09/2022

UNMISS Political Affairs Division (PAD)
This project aimed to increase political dialogue and more inclusive civic and political participation in the implementation of the R-ARCSS peace agreement and related governance reform, including the permanent constitution-making process. The project broadened engagement of political and civic actors, including civil society, women and youth representatives, to foster genuine commitment and durable agreements. Through formation of a Political Parties Forum the project built the foundations of a credible future electoral process, strengthened capacities of political leadership and brought together political representatives from different parties in policy dialogue and thematically focused workshops and training. The stabilization efforts capacitated the institutions needed for peace to be sustained and restored the ability of community members to seek justice and reduce the number of serious crimes being processed through informal mechanisms. Activities focused on strengthening the informal and formal court mechanisms, promoting women’s participation in justice and governance structures, and enhancing understanding and practices relating to good governance. In the context of increasing returns, project partners also worked to improve access to housing, land and property (HLP) resolution mechanisms.

Empowering the Grassroots - Linking National and Subnational Processes

US$ 629,802

01/2020–03/2022

UNMISS Civil Affairs Division (CAD)
This project empowers grassroots stakeholders and opinion leaders across the country to broaden their space for engagement in national peace implementation. The project provides a platform for grassroots stakeholders, especially women and youth, to interact with key national decision makers and influencers and to voice their aspirations to achieve peace across South Sudan. The state level forums serve to bridge subnational and national peace processes, facilitate dialogue between local constituencies and their national leaders, and influence national policy on sustainable peace themes.
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