STAFF Writer – A special court has opened in the Bentiu Internally Displaced Persons camp in Unity State to strengthen access to justice and address serious crimes affecting residents, particularly children and young people.
The Bentiu IDP Camp Court is being deployed from 7 to 26 September with support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, in collaboration with the Unity State Government, the Judiciary of South Sudan and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
The court will hear cases involving sexual and gender-based violence, drug-related offences and gang violence.
The initiative follows repeated concerns and calls from the IDP community for stronger justice and rule-of-law mechanisms to address rising cases of drug use, gang violence and sexual and gender-based violence.
The court is being deployed in cooperation with the Community High Committee of the Bentiu IDP Camp and is part of efforts to bring formal justice services closer to displaced communities.
The initiative was established under the Unity State Government’s Task Force on Combating Drug Abuse and Gang Violence, which brings together security, justice and health institutions.
UNMISS says the deployment will provide an opportunity for serious offences to be investigated and adjudicated while helping to strengthen accountability and deter crime.
The Bentiu court builds on the re-establishment of the Judiciary in Unity State in May 2026, after a 13-year absence.
It also follows the deployment of seven mobile courts across Unity State since 2024, aimed at combating impunity, reducing violence, deterring crime and contributing to peace and security. The Bentiu IDP Camp Court is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Juba.
