Hundreds of children detained at South Sudan’s main juvenile correctional facility are facing prolonged detention and delayed access to justice, with some spending up to four years behind bars without appearing before a court, prison authorities have revealed.
The concerns were raised during commemorations marking the Day of the African Child at the Juvenile Prison in Juba, where officials described overcrowding, inadequate resources, and lengthy judicial delays as major challenges affecting children in conflict with the law.
According to the Director of Juvenile Prisons, Akol Michael, the facility, originally designed to accommodate 100 children, is currently holding 314 juveniles more than three times its intended capacity.
“The capacity is 100 only. Now we are accommodating more than 314, which is not allowed,” Michael said.
Prison records indicate that only 81 juveniles have been convicted, while 233 remain on remand awaiting trial. Michael said prolonged delays in court proceedings have left many children detained for years without their cases being heard.
“Some of them stay for three to four years without seeing any justice, without seeing a court,” he said.
The director attributed the delays largely to logistical challenges within the justice system, including shortages of transport and fuel needed to facilitate court appearances.
Although mobile courts supported by development partners have helped reduce case backlogs in recent years, he said significant obstacles remain.
The growing number of detainees has placed considerable pressure on the facility’s ability to provide adequate care and rehabilitation services.
Michael noted that overcrowding has contributed to poor living conditions, while limited accommodation and isolation facilities make it difficult to address health concerns among detainees.
He also highlighted persistent food shortages and cases of malnutrition among children at the prison.
“We have a lot of issues of malnutrition. The issue of food is also very important; one meal cannot be enough,” he said.
According to prison authorities, financial constraints and delayed payments to food suppliers have at times reduced daily food provision from two meals to a single meal. Officials warned that inadequate nutrition and limited resources continue to undermine efforts to rehabilitate young offenders.
The prison was rehabilitated in 2020 through support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), but authorities say support from partners has declined in recent years, leaving the institution struggling to meet growing demands.
Michael appealed to the government, humanitarian organizations, development partners, and private companies to increase support for detained children.
The Day of the African Child event, organized by Tribe 64 with support from the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), focused on rehabilitation, mental health, and reintegration of children in conflict with the law.
Civil society representatives emphasized that detention should not define a child’s future and called for greater investment in juvenile justice, psychosocial support, education, and rehabilitation programmes.
Participants stressed that children in detention retain their rights to dignity, protection, rehabilitation, and access to justice, urging authorities to accelerate court processes and strengthen support systems to give young offenders a meaningful opportunity to rebuild their lives.
