12.The Special Rapporteur heard reports of continuing abductions of women and girls, involving armed groups, for purposes of sexual slavery, forced labour and forced pregnancy that constitute trafficking in persons, including but not limited to contexts associated with conflict. The Special Rapporteur also heard reports of abductions and sexual violence against men and boys, including being held in detention settings for extended periods, that may amount to trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation and sexual slavery, including but not limited to the context of conflict. Conflict-related sexual violence against men and boys, including trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, remains underreported. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that limited gender-sensitive and trauma-informed support and services are available to facilitate disclosure and reporting and ensure the provision of assistance, protection and reparations for such harms.
71.The Special Rapporteur highlights the absence of a provision on non-punishment of victims of trafficking and the lack of awareness among law enforcement and justice sector actors, immigration officials and border guards of the scope and content of the non-punishment principle. The lack of knowledge of practical applications of the non-punishment principle has resulted in victims of trafficking being arrested and detained, including at border crossings, and held in immigration-related detention. The application of the non-punishment principle to children affected by armed conflict, including in the context of recruitment and use by armed forces or armed groups, is not widely understood.
81.The Special Rapporteur is seriously concerned at the limited assistance and protection available to victims of trafficking, and the very limited awareness of the specific needs of trafficked persons and the obligation to provide gender-sensitive, trauma-informed and survivor-centred assistance, in both the short and longer term. The Special Rapporteur heard accounts of victims of trafficking, including sex workers, and foreign national victims of trafficking being held in detention and not being provided with any assistance or protection.

94. The prevention of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular to progressing gender equality, ending violence against children in all its forms, ending child labour and child marriage, ensuring just and fair conditions of work and decent work opportunities, reducing inequalities and strengthening peace and justice institutions. Trafficking in persons is a serious human rights violation and a serious crime that undermines and threatens the fragile processes of State-building and peacebuilding.

95. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government of South Sudan:

(a) Ratify the Trafficking in Persons Protocol and core international and regional human rights treaties;

(b) Adopt a human rights-compliant law on trafficking in persons that harmonizes current criminal law provisions and includes provisions on prevention, assistance and protection, effective investigations and partnerships with civil society;

(c) Develop national referral mechanisms and minimum standard services to assist victims, including child-specific national referral mechanisms;

(d) Develop a strategy for the elimination of all forms of trafficking in children, including in the context of armed conflict, displacement and climate change;

(e) Strengthen action to prevent trafficking of persons with disabilities, in particular children with disabilities, and ensure that measures to combat trafficking and protect victims ensure the rights of persons with disabilities;

(f) Strengthen capacity to identify, assist and protect child victims of trafficking, including through targeted legislation and enforcement of laws on child labour;