With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, Sudan's leaders ended a 21-year civil war between the north and south. The CPA established a Government of National Unity and called for elections by 2008. Important advances have been made, but progress is slow and stability is fragile. Conflict continues in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have died and more than two million have been displaced since 2003.
Sudanese women are working to play important roles in implementing the CPA and ending the crisis in Darfur. Women form nearly 25 percent of the new Government of Southern Sudan and recently formed a women’s caucus in the Government of National Unity, the only cross-party grouping of parliamentarians in the assembly. In 2005, a diverse group of women from across Darfur participated in the final round of negotiations surrounding the Darfur Peace Agreement, successfully negotiating the inclusion of important gender sensitive language. Throughout the country, women within political parties and in civil society are looking ahead to elections, preparing to participate as voters, organizers, and as candidates.
Despite their critical contributions to peace building and stability in Sudan, women have been largely marginalized from formal peace processes. They are vastly under-represented on key committees and decision-making bodies, and their interests often are overlooked in policy-making. In Darfur, women were sporadically involved as consulting experts in the final round of peace negotiations and were very small minority members of formal negotiating delegations. Their potential contributions continue to be undervalued by those now working to bring security to the region.
By advancing women’s leadership and advocating for women’s full inclusion in all peace building efforts, Inclusive Security is amplifying and strengthening the voices of Sudanese women. Sustainable peace cannot be attained without their participation.
Inclusive Security staff are travelling to Sudan in September; check back soon for an update on our consultations with women leaders.