BENTIU — A new court has opened at the Bentiu internally displaced persons’ camp in South Sudan’s Unity State as authorities seek to improve access to justice for displaced communities, according to the United Nations.
The Bentiu IDP Camp Court supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the Unity State government, the Judiciary of South Sudan, and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will operate from Sept. 7 to 26.
The court is expected to hear cases involving sexual and gender-based violence, drug-related offenses, and gang violence.
The Bentiu IDP Camp Court is an initiative of the Unity State Government’s Task Force on Combating Drug Abuse and Gang Violence, bringing together security, justice, and health actors.
The Court is being deployed in cooperation with the Community High Committee (CHC) of the Bentiu IDP Camp in response to repeated concerns and requests from the community for stronger justice and rule of law mechanisms to address drug use, gang violence, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), particularly affecting children and youth.
Its deployment aims to bring the formal justice system directly to residents of the IDP camp and provide an opportunity for serious offences to be investigated and adjudicated.
This deployment builds on the re-establishment of the Judiciary in Unity State in May 2026 after 13 years of absence and the seven mobile courts deployed across Unity State since 2024 to combat impunity, reduce violence, deter crime and contribute to peace and security in the State.
Bentiu IDP camp is South Sudan’s largest camp for internally displaced persons, hosting more than 100,000 people.
Established as a Protection of Civilians site following the outbreak of conflict in 2013, it was redesignated as an IDP camp in 2021 and remains a major focus of UNMISS’ civilian protection efforts in Bentiu.
Following the outbreak of conflict in 2013, permanent judicial and prosecutorial capacity was restored in Bentiu only in May 2026.
To support access to justice, combat impunity, and promote accountability in support of peace and security, UNMISS has supported the deployment of seven mobile courts across Unity State since 2024, including in Southern Unity and Mayom.
These courts have resulted in the adjudication of 517 cases, following a period in which no cases were adjudicated through the formal justice system in Unity State in 2023.
