South Sudan civil society debates on strategy for better impact

Malual Kon, Aweil East County, Southern Sudan – April 20, 2007 Representatives from sixty-one grassroots civil society organizations gathered in Malual Kon recently for one of the largest civil society conferences southern Sudan has ever known.

“People died so that we could have this opportunity to sit and discuss”, noted HIV/AIDS Commission Representative, Dr. Rondyang James. “There have been conferences organized by government in the past, but civil society actors were not included for the most part. These civil society exchanges are the first of their kind.”

The event aimed to help civil society organizations understand how forming coalitions can increase their impact and improve their ability to advocate for the rights of the marginalized groups they support. It was the third conference in a series of six organized by Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as part of the Localizing Institutional Capacity in Sudan program (LINCS), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The participating civil society organizations implement direct service programs in a variety of sectors. Throughout the week, technical experts provided informative training in a variety of fields. These experts included representatives from the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), the Southern Sudan Peace Commission, the HIV/AIDS Commission, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Public Health, and a number of international nongovernmental organizations. Technical discussions focused on the areas of hygiene, adult education, HIV/AIDS education, gender-based violence, peace building and livelihoods development. Discussions arising from the presentations enabled government representatives and civil society members to explore how they will collaborate to address challenges in each sector.

“The presentations helped me understand how my organization fits into the government’s strategy”, said a representative from Leer Hygiene Promotion. “In the area of hygiene, the government must be responsible for building primary health care units but civil society can support them by digging pit latrines and through community sensitization.”

Training sessions conducted by the LINCS staff introduced participants to the concepts of coalitions and the specific strategies they can use to initiate regional or issue-based coalitions. To complement the application of coalition building among civil society organizations, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) facilitated a dialogue on coalitions in political processes. Participants reinforced their understanding of the structures of government, explored decision-making processes, and considered political processes, such as elections, where coalitions might emerge. While civil society coalitions play a different function than political party coalitions, participants saw that many of the same strengths, challenges and strategies apply.

The National Democratic Institute staff also facilitated a series of dialogues on the six protocols of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) for new LINCS partners, many of whom were discussing the provisions of the CPA for the first time.

Having recently expanded the LINCS program to cover 15 counties across southern Sudan and the three areas of Abyei area, Southern Kordofan/Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile States, the workshop also provided an excellent opportunity for peer-to-peer mentoring as new partners learned about the progress of the projects that have been implemented since May 2006.

“The new partners have great ideas but they are not totally sure how to go about implementing them,” said Jeremiah Gatnor, a civil society participant who has attended each of the three civil society exchange conferences. “It’s a great chance for them to learn from our experiences and it’s fantastic to see that we are starting to reach every corner of southern Sudan.”

With each conference, women’s voices are getting stronger. Attendance by women increased 41% over the previous conference in Yei and female participants spoke passionately about the changes they are creating and their vision for an equitable society.

The event closed on a celebratory note with cultural performances from each of the regions represented. While the performances highlighted the many cultural traditions that exist in Sudan, participation in the conference served to reinforce civil society’s commitment to serve their communities and uphold their common objective of strengthening democracy for lasting peace.

For more information on the LINCS Program please contact:

Veena Sampathkumar

Acting Chief of Party – LINCS Program

Mercy Corps Southern Sudan

[email protected]

Thuraya: + 882 164 333 8880