Breaking Out of the Borderlands: Understanding migrant pathways from Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, South Sudan

This research report, published by the Rift Valley Institute, explores the consequences of the monetization of land, life and work along the border with Sudan on the young people who live in this region.

The monetization of land, life and work on the borderlands of South Sudan has pushed many of its poor residents into insecure waged labour, precarious systems of rent and high interest short-term loans. This economy strongly benefits new cash rich elites, who profit from this market of cheap workers, land and rental income. Young people—both women and men—are particularly dependent on this cash work and have few options for education or personal development within South Sudan. This makes them easily recruited by government authorities (particularly the military) and local elites for low-waged labour, especially work that requires them to be armed. This economy has created a pool of desperate young people in search of a way to break out of this captive market. This is the foundation for the expansion of military and migrant labour across the region, as young men and women cross national borders in their search for work, education and other opportunities.

You can find a link to the original article here.