Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the UNICEF news note on children killed, abducted and raped in South Sudan attacks, dated 18 May 2015, if she will hold discussions with the government of South Sudan on the protection of children in that country from such attacks.

We have raised the issue of the protection of civilians, particularly children, both as part of our broader human rights engagement with the Government of South Sudan, as well as with the opposition, most recently on the 7^th of July. Her Majesty’s Ambassador (HMA) to South Sudan, together with Heads of EU Missions in Juba, issued a statement on the 2^nd July 2015 condemning the human rights atrocities in Unity State that were raised in the recent UNICEF and United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports. The joint statement strongly condemned the horrific acts against civilians, including children, and urged all parties involved to take steps to end these atrocities as a matter of urgency. We continue to call for the Government to allow further investigations by granting unimpeded access to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). We will continue to press the Government of South Sudan to ensure the protection of its citizens and investigate these atrocities.