Paper details

Paper authors	Matot Pal
In panel on	The Safety of Strangers: humanitarian protection in South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda
Paper presenter(s) will be presenting	In-Person / Online

Abstract

The wars in South Sudan have brought widespread destruction to whole regions and communities over decades. Yet, for some the suffering and social destruction is greater. This paper focuses especially on widows from South Sudan who have sought refuge in Khartoum. Wartime mobilization of men and their deaths from direct violence led to many women becoming widows in the midst of conflict. This left them economically marginalized but also socially insecure and precarious. This paper is based on contemporary interviews with women who became widows in the 1980s and 1990s, and who then fled to Sudan for refuge. To survive, many migrated to Sudan. While many of these widows had to engage in illegal activities, such as alcohol brewing and ‘survival sex’ , Sudan still offered more safety and opportunity than their home communities. Others accessed refugee camps and moved to where humanitarian support was known to be available. Now, three decades on from becoming widows, their children’s education and marriages are now presented by them as evidence of their ability to be thrive despite their precarious status.

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