South Sudanese youth are intensifying calls for the government to urgently pass two critical pieces of legislation the Youth Bodies Bill 2025 and the long-delayed Student Support Fund Bill as the Council of Ministers resumes its official sittings after months of inactivity.
Markaz Al Salam (MAS), with support from the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), delivered a strong public appeal urging the government to speed up the lawmaking process on what they describe as “two of the most important youth-centered Bills in the country’s legislative pipeline.”
According to MAS, the former Youth and Sports Bill have now evolved into the Youth Bodies Bill 2025 following extensive nationwide consultations with youth leaders, civil society groups, development partners, and government representatives.
The revised Bill aims to modernize youth governance, strengthen institutional accountability, and ensure youth bodies across all administrative levels operate under a coherent, transparent legal framework.
Florence Agiba, Executive Director of MAS, said the updated Bill reflects the real needs and aspirations of South Sudan’s young people.
“This Bill is more than a reform it is a foundation for empowering young people to participate meaningfully in leadership and nation-building,” Agiba explained.
“Youth deserve institutions that are functional, accountable, and aligned with their realities.”
At the same time, MAS raised renewed concern over the stalled Student Support Fund Bill, last debated in 2023.
The Bill seeks to ease the financial and academic burdens facing thousands of students by providing tuition assistance, accommodation support, and protective measures to prevent vulnerable learners from dropping out.
Calling it “a lifeline for struggling students,” the organization urged the Council of Ministers to prioritize the Bill as a matter of national urgency.
Youth advocates argue that South Sudan cannot build a competitive workforce or advance its development agenda without investing in education and strengthening youth governance structures.
They emphasized that both Bills are central to creating opportunities and safeguarding the future of young people.
MAS concluded by calling on the Council of Ministers, the National Legislative Assembly, development partners, and youth across the country to unite behind the passage of these transformative laws.
“A nation cannot progress when its young people lack support,” Agiba said.
“We will continue pushing until these Bills are passed and implemented.”
