The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Access to Justice and Rule of Law Project with funding from the Government of Germany on Wednesday donated a Toyota Landcruiser ambulance to the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS).

UNDP’s Access to Justice and Rule of Law Project Chief Technical Advisor Rowland Cole during the presentation said, “this will help the Police to respond to provide emergency ambulance services in a timely manner and thereby reduce the gratuitous loss of life in combating crime and responding to survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV).”

In his acceptance speech, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police LT. General James Pui said that the donation had come at the right time when the Police needed to expand its service provision for medical supplies and respond to emergencies during this Christmas. “The donation has come at a right time when we need ambulances for police hospital. It is going to make us more efficient in attending to emergencies,” Gen. Pui stated.

James Pui, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police on behalf of the South Sudan National Police Service expressed their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Germany for their generous support to the rule of law institutions in South Sudan. He further, expressed his sincere thanks to UNDP for its sustained support to the South Sudan National Police Service.”UNDP’s Access to Justice and Rule of Law Project supports key South Sudan stake holders in strengthening referral pathways for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This includes supporting the SSNPS in developing capacities to receive and process reports of survivors and providing material resources including response forms. Overall, the project contributed to the accountability of the rule of law and justice services by providing access to legal processes by rights bearers by establishing Justice and Confidence Centres (JCCs) to provide legal aid and psychosocial support to survivors of SGBV.

The project also contributes to an improved understanding of the psychosocial impact of SGBV among a range of the rule of law actors, community leaders, and government officials. The project has engaged national partners regarding the adoption of legislation that will provide a more enabling legislative environment for providing support for SGBV survivors, as well as the establishment of a special SGBV court in Juba.