South Sudan’s civic and political space remains fragile, shaped by political instability, ongoing conflict dynamics, and restrictive government measures. While the constitutional frameworks provide for the fundamental freedoms found articles 24 to 27 in the Constitution of South Sudan, 2011 (as amended), in practice rights to enjoy these freedoms of expression, association, and assembly are largely curtailed. Civil society organisations and human rights defenders face harassment, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation, particularly when engaging in advocacy around governance, accountability, or human rights.

The enabling environment is further undermined by restrictive laws such as the NGO Act 2016, the National Security Act 2014 (amended 2025) and the recently introduced Cybercrime and Computer Misuse Act 2026, that impose heavy compliance burdens and enable surveillance of activists. Security forces have been implicated in excessive use pf force against protesters and in targeting journalists, contributing to widespread fear and self-censorship. Political tensions, that escalated further during the March 2025 conflict between the government of South Sudan and the main opposition with support from other community-oriented armed youths have exacerbated risks for humanitarian workers, defenders and organisations working on civic space.

The country plans to hold its first-ever presidential elections in December 2026 with all these challenges. Civil society remains resilient where networks and human rights organisations continue to monitor civic space, document violations, and engage in advocacy at national and international levels. Their work is critical to sustaining civic engagement and protecting human rights, but requires international backing to strengthen protection systems.