Monitoring Welfare and Perceptions in South Sudan 2012 – 2014

Since early 2012, the World Bank’s High Frequency South Sudan Survey has collected a panel data set to monitor the welfare and perceptions of citizens in a selected number of state capitals in South Sudan. This note presents the findings of all six rounds of the survey on the topics of (1) Security , (2) Economic Conditions, (3) Assets and Consumption, and (4) Access to Services. The results are based on 143 households in Juba, Wau and Rumbek revisited six times. The analysis is restricted to households present in all rounds and, thus, is not statistically representative but only provides a descriptive narrative of the livelihood of the selected urban households in Juba, Rumbek and Wau. These cities are not among the cities most affected by the conflict.

The analysis retrieves a gloomy picture of the situation of the selected households. Since December 2013, security deteriorated considerably with one in three households being looted. The majority of households reported elections as main prerequisite for peace, followed by ending the ethnic conflict. A detrimental effect on markets had translated into shortages and led to pessimism about the economic future. The conflict had destroyed income opportunities, especially for households with low incomes, and generally affected daily life negatively. Insecurity had prevented children from attending school. Households reported fewer assets and more often hunger.