(JUBA) – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has welcomed a $1 million donation from The Slaight Family Foundation in Canada to support displaced women and girls affected by conflict in South Sudan.
The donation announced from Ottawa and Toronto will fund critical services over two years, as humanitarian needs escalate and funding declines across the region.
The grant comes at a time when tens of thousands of people in South Sudan have been forced to flee their homes due to renewed violence and insecurity. In addition, South Sudan is facing increasing pressure from continued refugee flows from neighbouring Sudan, where conflict has driven thousands to cross the border. The country now hosts over 1.2 million refugees and returnees, the majority of whom are women and children.
Women and girls remain among the most vulnerable, with many exposed to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. Yet, as humanitarian needs rise, available services are shrinking. UNHCR reports that due to funding cuts, 75 percent of its safe spaces for women and girls in South Sudan have closed.
As a result, approximately 80,000 women and girls, including survivors of rape and other forms of violence, have been left without access to medical treatment, psychosocial support or legal assistance.
The donation, equivalent to approximately 4.6 billion South Sudanese Pounds (SSP), will allow UNHCR to restore and expand several essential services. These include:
| Service Area | Planned Support |
|---|---|
| Gender based violence response | Case management and specialised care, including in remote locations |
| Health and hygiene support | Distribution of dignity kits and menstrual hygiene supplies |
| Safe space infrastructure | Equipping a safe space for women and girls in Juba |
| Capacity building | Training for frontline staff and partner organisations on data collection and support |
| Staffing | Sustaining a dedicated protection officer to oversee and coordinate these services |
Gary Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation, said the donation aims to sustain access to critical services such as health care, food, education and protection for vulnerable communities in crisis zones like South Sudan, Yemen and Bangladesh.
Tracey Maulfair, UNHCR’s Representative in Canada, called the donation “a gift at a critical moment” and noted that as global funding shrinks, flexible financial support is vital to maintain protection services for displaced populations.
On the ground in South Sudan, Marie-Hélène Verney, UNHCR’s Representative, echoed the urgency.
“Funding cuts are having a devastating impact. This contribution helps us bring back essential services for women and girls, but urgent and flexible support is still needed for critical activities like registration and civil documentation.”
The grant is part of a wider initiative by The Slaight Family Foundation to assist 13 humanitarian organisations responding to emergencies across the world. Since its establishment in 2008 by Canadian media figure Allan Slaight, the Foundation has committed over $293 million to healthcare, education, women’s rights and emergency response efforts.
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