JUBA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called upon all political leaders in South Sudan to prioritize peace, stability and the well-being of the people in need of humanitarian support amid rising political tensions in the country.

The ongoing instability threatens to derail humanitarian response, making it even more difficult to deliver critical services to those in need, the UNFPA said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan on Friday evening.

"Over two-thirds of the population now depends on humanitarian aid, while funding for essential services is drying up," the UN agency said.

The statement came amid rising political tensions in the country after South Sudan's First Vice-President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest and detention of his allies.

The government has accused Machar, who signed the 2018 peace agreement with President Salva Kiir that ended a five-year civil war, of planning rebellion, a claim Machar's allies have denied.

The UNFPA said it is gravely concerned about the heightened risks of gender-based violence, including sexual violence and forced early marriage; conflict-related sexual violence; and the disruption of essential sexual and reproductive health services.

"The escalating tensions further exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where communities are grappling with limited or no access to essential health services including maternal, sexual and reproductive healthcare; as well as widespread food insecurity and mass displacement," it said.

With more than 9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including 2.4 million women of reproductive age, the lives, health and dignity of women and girls hang in the balance, the UNFPA said.

It called on all actors to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access, allowing partners to provide much-needed assistance.

"The international community must also step up its support to South Sudan, reinforcing humanitarian efforts and ensuring that resources reach the most vulnerable populations," the UNFPA said. Enditem

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