Bridging communities for democracy and peace in South Sudan

Since gaining independence in 2011, the promise of a new beginning for South Sudan has not delivered peace and stability for ordinary South Sudanese. Two periods of violent conflict have occurred since then, with each ending in peace agreements between the two major political leaders. While important to resolve political power-sharing at the national level, local communities have been sidelined and remain silent on issues of community-level reconciliation. The underlying local and state-level issues that fuel inter-ethnic violence and conflict, such as land disputes, economic exclusion and manipulation of identity differences, remain unaddressed and continue to fuel conflict. Political elites have exploited such grievances and divisions to incite violence, primarily to retain power and control over resources. This recurring pattern continues to erode inclusive governance and national cohesion, ultimately threatening South Sudan’s future.

Understanding and addressing the dynamics of elite-driven ethnic polarization is essential to building national cohesion and inclusive governance. This project will conduct pioneering research on how communities — including local peace organizations, traditional leaders, women and youth — can more effectively resist manipulation by political elites and foster inter-community solidarity. It will generate actionable evidence on locally grounded strategies, develop practical tools and approaches for their implementation and facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between members of the research community.

By exploring what it takes for communities to align with one another rather than with elite interests, this research will generate innovative, locally grounded pathways for inclusive governance and sustainable peace. It will also empower ordinary South Sudanese to contribute meaningfully to community-level peacebuilding and engage more constructively in national political processes.

This initiative is part of a broader IDRC-supported research cohort focused on inclusive governance in fragile contexts, which aims to identify scalable, locally grounded strategies to counter divisive politics and foster a shared national identity that is inclusive of all.