The study by Oxfam shows that five locations, including Juba, Rumbek, Kapoeta, Torit, and Pibor, have noted increased cases of gender-based violence, forced early marriages, and teenage pregnancies.

According to the report, these cases have discouraged or demotivated female learners from continuing with their studies. The report from Oxfam indicates that in 10 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the number of calls to domestic violence helplines increased from 25 to 111 per cent in the first month of the pandemic, while in some other places, the rates of domestic violence abuse during the early lockdown increased by three times.

Over the course of their lives, one in every three women, or approximately 736 million, has been subjected to physical and sexual violence by intimate partners.

“We should also pause and reflect on what the coronavirus pandemic has meant for women and girls in South Sudan. At Oxfam, together with partners, we have been concerned by the impact of the pandemic on women and girls, particularly female learners, ” Oxfam Country Acting Director, Ms Juliet Moriku Balikowa, said in the report yesterday.

 “We have already noticed that only 12.7 per cent of girls complete their studies as opposed to 23.2 per cent of boys,” she added.

She revealed that social stigma and combined pressure from families and communities mean that once a girl has become married or pregnant, it is very difficult for her to return to her studies.

She said in some areas, educational organisations implemented ad hoc programmes to support young girls so that they could be able to do exams in order to complete their studies.

Ms Moriku said Oxfam and the partners are now trying to promote the return of female learners to school so that they can complete their education.

“We are suggesting a number of solutions to these problems for this purpose. Education stakeholders must work together to overcome the barriers that female learners find to accessing their education, particularly the financial one,” she said.

 “We need to improve the alternative learning programs so that they are better suited to those who are at risk of dropping out of school because of early and forced marriage,” she added.

The South Sudan Constitution (2011) defines a child as a person whose age falls below 18 years.

It stipulates that each child has the right “to know and be cared for by his or her parents, or legal guardian, not to be subjected to exploitative practices or abuse, nor to be required to serve in the army, nor permitted to perform work which may be hazardous or harmful to his or her education, health, or well-being.”