The present report assesses labour market conditions in the new state of South
Sudan (officially the Republic of South Sudan). It highlights a number of key
challenges faced by the new country in ensuring adequate livelihood opportunites
for its population.
The overwhelmingly rural labour force is concentrated primarily in low
productivity, non-wage employment. By far the largest share of workers remain in
subsistance farming and animal husbandry. Levels of human capital in the work
force are extremely low, even among young workers. Rates of child labour are
very high, jeopardising children’s ability to acquire the human capital necessary
for decent work in the future.