A/HRC/RES/37/31
Council of the African Union communiqué of 22 September 2017, in which the Council,
inter alia, strongly condemned all acts of sexual and gender-based violence and the
unlawful recruitment of children into military activities and called upon the Government of
South Sudan to investigate alleged crimes and to hold those responsible to account without
delay, and its communiqué of 8 February 2018, in which the Council, inter alia,
reemphasized the call by the African Union upon South Sudan to urgently sign without
further delay the memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the hybrid court
for South Sudan,
Welcoming that the Government of South Sudan has committed to cooperating with
the Office of the High Commissioner, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council,
the universal periodic review and the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in the
fulfilment of its mandate,
Calling upon all parties to the conflict to implement fully the Agreement on the
Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and to conclude a permanent
ceasefire, reminding the parties of their international obligations, including those relating to
the protection of civilians, as well as their obligations under the Cessation of Hostilities
Agreement of 21 December 2017, expressing grave concern at the parties’ continued,
verified violations of that Agreement, and urging them to pursue the path of a peaceful
resolution to the existing conflict through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
High-level Revitalization Forum,
Reiterating the concerns of the Human Rights Council at the ethnically motivated
incitement to hatred and violence by all sides, reports of targeting of civilians based on
ethnicity and widespread sexual and gender-based violence, the escalation of violence and
the targeting of civilians and health-care facilities,
Expressing grave concern that 5.1 million South Sudanese are food insecure, that
1.9 million are internally displaced within South Sudan and that approximately 2.4 million
are displaced outside the country, noting that the humanitarian crisis is caused primarily by
conflict, commending humanitarian agencies for their continued assistance to the affected
populations, and recalling the need for all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate the
full, safe and unhindered access of relief personnel, equipment and supplies free of
unnecessary duties and taxes and the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those
in need, in particular to internally displaced persons and refugees, based on the United
Nations guiding principles of humanitarian assistance, including humanity, neutrality,
impartiality and independence,
Emphasizing the inviolability of United Nations premises, and underlining that
targeting civilians and attacks against United Nations missions may constitute war crimes,
Condemning in the strongest terms all attacks against humanitarian personnel and
facilities, which have resulted in the death of at least 95 humanitarian personnel since
December 2013, expressing grave concern for the civilians who sought safety in protectionof-civilians sites who have been attacked, killed, traumatized or displaced, and the serious
damage caused to the sites, including to medical clinics and schools, which were burned
down and destroyed, and at sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls
exiting protection-of-civilians sites throughout the country,
Emphasizing that States have the primary responsibility for the promotion and
protection of human rights, and recalling that the Government of South Sudan has the
responsibility to protect all of its population in the country from genocide, war crimes,
ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,
Gravely concerned about ongoing reports of widespread sexual and gender-based
violence committed against women and girls and instances of conflict-related rape and gang
rape, coupled with beatings and abductions, recognizing the importance of providing timely
assistance and protection to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including
sexual and reproductive health, psychosocial, legal and livelihood support and other
multisectoral services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including working
with communities to reintegrate those affected by sexual and gender-based violence, and
taking into account the specific needs of persons with disabilities,
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