Awut Deng Acuil

Expert Spotlight

Born into War

Born during a time of war, Awut Deng Acuil inspires peace. The Sudanese mother of seven has been instrumental in bridging the divide between the warring factions in her homeland.

Born in Tonj, South Sudan, Acuil was unable to finish her senior secondary education due to intense fighting between Sudan’s North and South regions in the 1980s. Eventually, Acuil and her family became refugees in Kenya. It was when her son awoke one night and asked her when the war in South Sudan would end that Acuil decided to take action.

“The war in Sudan is about resources. It is about political marginalization. It is about racism,” said Acuil.

Acuil rallied other women together and formed the Sudanese Women’s Association in Nairobi (SWAN). This community organization began to address the issues of unity and peace among women of different ethnic backgrounds in South Sudan. A sub-group of this organization known as Sudanese Women’s Voice for Peace (SWVP) was created to advocate for peace and reconciliation.

“Many women have risked their lives in this work,” said Acuil. “They have actually broke down bridges of conflicts where there are difficult situations, where the movements are restricted, or no movement of the people. Women will always try.”

Acuil continued to fight for peace by initiating meetings with local community leaders from the different ethnic groups in South Sudan. During this time, she also served as the secretary of information for the West Bank Peace Council in the Bahr el Ghazal region. Her inclusive approach to peace-building led to the Wunlit People to People Conference, which ended the bloody hostilities between the Dinka and Nuer peoples of South Sudan. The conference inspired the creation of the Wunlit Covenant, which outlined the terms of the ceasefire and the return of hostages.

“What’s made the difference is the skill that women bring into the conflict resolutions and the system itself,” Acuil said. “Women come up with conflict solutions. Women don’t look for opposition. They look for resolutions. They look for stability and want life protected. That’s the major concern of women.”

With this conflict resolved, Acuil turned her attention toward the larger picture--- the war between the Muslim north and the Animist and Christian south. Estimates put the death toll from the war at 1.5 million people. The war between northern and southern Sudan has been a personal tragedy for Acuil as her husband and 19 other family members lost their lives.

Acuil continued to serve in other negotiating and peace-building capacities. She was a member of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement’s (SPLM) negotiating delegation at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace talks in 2002. She is the co-founder of the Sudanese Catholic Bishops Regional Conference. This conference with offices in Nairobi was started to coordinate the church programmes in the areas which cannot be reached from the conference’s main headquarters in Khartoum. 

Acuil established the Pankar peace and good governance grassroots initiative. The Pankar Peace Council supports grassroots-based conflict resolution mechanisms. Her extensive work in advocating for peace and women’s rights earned her the InterAction Humanitarian Award in 2002.

The civil war between the north and south lasted 21 years before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in January 2005. The signing marked the union of the Government of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

Acuil’s lifelong dedication to peace has allowed her to connect with numerous world and religious leaders, including the late Pope John Paul II. She is also highly regarded in her native Sudan. Acuil served on the constitutional commission and is the gender and human rights adviser to First Vice President Kiir.

In March 2007, Acuil was the recipient of the Vital Voices Global Leadership Award for her efforts to increase democracy and women’s rights in Sudan. Acuil holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya. She has been a member of the Inclusive Security Women Waging Peace Network since 1999.

 

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