South Sudan Red Cross Alarmed by Illegal Use of Protected Emblems

(JUBA) – The South Sudan Red Cross has raised alarm over a sharp increase in the abuse and misuse of the Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal emblems across the country, warning that such violations are punishable under national law and put lifesaving work at risk.

The organisation said pharmacies, ambulances, medical clinics, centres and complexes must find alternative logos for their use. Misuse and abuse of these emblems may jeopardise the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s staff and volunteers in saving lives.

The public has been called upon to protect and respect these emblems, particularly the South Sudan Red Cross logo.

Any abuse or misuse must be reported to the authorities, and all materials bearing the logo or emblems should be returned to South Sudan Red Cross offices if found.

The alert comes as the South Sudan Red Cross deepens its humanitarian footprint across several states.

In Unity State, Red Cross teams and volunteers from the International Committee of the Red Cross drilled a borehole and installed a hand pump at Panyijiar County Hospital, giving the health centre a permanent water point and the surrounding community improved access to water after extensive logistic efforts.

In Western Equatoria, on a recent mission, the International Committee of the Red Cross and South Sudan Red Cross volunteers provided food, essential household items, dignity kits and kitchen sets to more than 2,500 displaced families in Nagero County.

The distribution followed assistance delivered in April 2026 to 3,300 displaced families in Mundri East. Many families have been forced to flee their homes and face significant challenges in accessing basic necessities.

The assistance aims to help displaced families meet their immediate needs and maintain their dignity while coping with the consequences of conflict and displacement.

In Lakes State, during the week of 29 June 2026, the South Sudan Red Cross held an inception workshop for the Integrated Community Resilience Project, known as Pïïr Path, in Rumbek. The initiative, supported by the Finnish Red Cross, marks the official start of a new project to strengthen community resilience in Lakes State.

With a focus on livelihoods, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, disaster preparedness, peacebuilding and inclusion, the project will empower communities in Rumbek Centre and Wulu counties to better prepare for, respond to and recover from challenges.

The workshop was attended by Deputy Secretary General for Programmes Christine Abina, Finnish Red Cross Country Manager Tapiwa Chadoka, representatives from State Line Ministries and other key stakeholders to align on the project’s implementation.

At the beginning of June 2026, the South Sudan Red Cross took part in a Development and Validation Workshop for the Revised National Disaster Risk Management Policy in the presence of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak, alongside key government and humanitarian partners.

The policy seeks to strengthen disaster preparedness, risk management, resilience and anticipatory action across the country. Representing the South Sudan Red Cross, Deputy Secretary General for Programmes Christine Abina reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to disaster risk reduction and resilience building.

She said building resilient communities starts with investing in preparedness and reducing risks before disasters occur, and that the organisation remains committed to supporting national efforts that protect lives and strengthen community resilience across South Sudan.

From 8 to 9 June 2026, journalists from Juba, Bor and Kapoeta took part in a two day National Media Training on Early Warning Systems hosted by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in collaboration with the South Sudan Red Cross, with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Netherlands Red Cross.

The event was attended by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management William Chan Achuil, Moro Baba Emmanuel representing the South Sudan Red Cross, and IFRC Head of Delegation for the Juba Cluster Paula Fitzgerald.

The training highlighted the vital role of the media in disaster preparedness and response, equipping journalists with the knowledge and skills to communicate timely, accurate and inclusive early warning information that helps protect communities.

Aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the global Early Warnings for All initiative, the training focused on risk informed journalism, community engagement, multi stakeholder collaboration and the use of the Common Alerting Protocol for effective public communication.

Presentations were also delivered by the South Sudan Red Cross, IFRC and the International Committee of the Red Cross, providing participants with a better understanding of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, its components and the complementary roles they play in humanitarian action across South Sudan.

On 16 June 2026, as the world marked World Blood Donor Day, communities across South Sudan gathered to recognise the importance of voluntary blood donors who help save lives every day.

In Juba and Wau, the commemoration brought together government officials, health professionals, humanitarian partners, faith based leaders, students and community members in a collective call to strengthen voluntary blood donation.

In Wau, Red Cross teams have supported the recruitment of more than 1,100 voluntary blood donors, and over 200 units of blood have been collected in the past two months to support patients in need.

During the celebration, 35 new voluntary donors were recruited, with 30 donating blood, further strengthening the blood supply in the region.

This year’s theme, “One Drop of Humanity: Give Blood, Save Lives,” reaffirmed the collective responsibility and commitment to promoting voluntary, regular and safe blood donation across South Sudan.