“I would like to hope that there will be some high level prosecution soon and that will be part of the impact of our work,” said Andrew Clapham, one of three members of the panel.

Mr Clapham said the increase in sexual violence in South Sudan was fuelled by systemic impunity.

The panel conducted a four-day visit in the country last week and met senior government officials – including the justice minister, civil society representatives, UN agencies representatives and members of the diplomatic community.

The experts were making follow ups on recommendations in its report released earlier this year on widespread sexual violence against women and girls in the country.

The panel met women’s groups and some survivors of sexual violence that it had documented in its report.

“This visit was meant to plan civil society activity and also be able to pass our message to the government that there should be a zero tolerance policy for sexual violence in South Sudan,” Prof Clapham told the BBC in the capital, Juba.