Relationships in South Sudan

Family relationships in South Sudan can involve care, maintenance, education, protection, birth registration and inheritance. The Child Act 2008 sets protections for children and duties for parents, but formal law, customary practices and informal arrangements may lead to different pathways for marriage, separation, child care and support. Acquaintances usually arise through schools, markets, churches, youth or women’s groups, sports, community spaces, radio groups and humanitarian-program spaces. Friendship is a freely chosen relationship built through recurring mutual contact and support, often through shared work, education, faith, culture, sport or community activities. Romantic relationships are shaped by personal consent, family and community expectations, customary practices, religion and security conditions. A romantic relationship itself is not registered or licensed nationally; formal recognition is mainly linked to marriage or union. Marriage requires the free and full consent of both intended spouses. Child marriage, forced marriage, violence and sexual activity without consent create serious legal and safety concerns. No national authority registers friendships or provides a friendship-specific benefit, and no single national system manages all relationships. Personal safety, privacy and voluntary participation matter when meeting new contacts, joining groups or developing a romantic relationship, especially where displacement or insecurity limits safe access.