Women conference calls for peace in war-torn Sudan
October 25, 2023 (KAMPALA) – There is need to formulate a clear vision to bring back security, peace and establish a civil state where all citizens have equal opportunities in war-torn Sudan, a peacebuilding initiative in Uganda resolved.
The conference was organized by ‘Peace for Sudan Platform’, an entity comprising of over 49 women-led peace initiatives, humanitarian initiatives, and civil society organizations, featuring representatives from across different regions of the country.
“We must work together to formulate a clear vision to achieve the aspirations of the Sudanese people, bringing back security, peace, and the establishment of a civil state where all citizens are equal, and opportunities are provided regardless of their gender, ethnic, religious, or tribal backgrounds,” said Samia Argawi, founder of Women Against War.
Nearly 7.1 million people are internally displaced within Sudan, of that 3.8 million are newly displaced as a result of the violence that erupted mid-April between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Force (SAF), the UN said.
The conflict has reportedly killed nearly 9,000 people since it broke out in mid-April.
The have also been several reports from the UN about gender-based violence that has increased during the conflict, and the humanitarian situation has significantly worsened, with food prices peaking and limited access to water and electricity.
Soon after fighting broke out, UN Women and partners including the African Union and the African Women Leaders Network, at the request of the Peace for Sudan Platform, reportedly organized a virtual high-level solidarity mission to support and amplify calls to end the conflict, highlight its impact on women and girls, and mobilize support to women’s peacebuilding and protection efforts.
For instance, in October, shortly after the conflict passed its six-month mark, UN Women in partnership with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union, and International Women’s Peace Center organized a conference with Sudanese women peacebuilders in Kampala, Uganda.
The conference included consultations with more than 400 women across 14 Sudanese states about their priorities and demands, and aimed to build bridges between women in Sudan and in countries across the region. Women joined online from Sudan and in-person, with many refugees and exiles attending.
The conference also aimed to enhance women’s leadership and highlighted the leading role Sudanese women and young women are playing in mobilizing the peace movement.
“Sudanese women have their own narrative of resilience and determination as agents of peace”, said Adjaratou Ndiaye, UN Women’s Sudan representative.
She added, “Conflict and displacement have never shaken their mission for peace, as we witness this gathering today and recognize all the women-led peace initiatives and responses on the ground and in other parts of the world”.
“Since the founding of Sudan 67 years ago, the women of Sudan have always stood out as a beacon of hope and the voice of reason during the successive crises that have faced the country”, said Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD.
“Let us remember the wise words of our African proverbs: ‘When men go to war, it is women who must pick up the pieces. “Together, we can empower the women of Sudan to be the agents of peace and rebuild our shared nation,” he added.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Suzan Hussein, a Sudanese woman activist living as a refugee in Uganda said, “This war should stop as soon as possible not just in Khartoum, but also in different areas in Sudan”.
“For me, this conference means a platform and a [form of] resistance. A platform in which I can represent the diversity of women in Sudan”, Hussein said, adding that she hoped the conference could link “different groups of women in order to create a feminist agenda” and resist violence against women.
Women-led organizations in Sudan have the expertise and experience to work on sensitive issues including gender-based violence and to provide services to women, girls, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
The current war is a manifestation of wider political, social, and economic forces.
Argawi, a Sudanese lawyer, said peace was intimately tied with combating “poverty, marginalization, and discrimination, creating a healthy and resilient environment”.
“We also hope to work together to develop a political consensus among the components of the people, a consensus that holds the recipe for political, economic and social success”, she noted.
In 2019, many women joined the revolution in Sudan, which saw the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir after 30 years in power. Women were able to organize protests and support young people throughout the upheaval, and their activism was highlighted by alternative media outlets that arose after the revolution.
(ST)