Sudan Consortium 2008: Sudanese Women Leaders Press Government and Donors to Prioritize Women
In conjunction with the 2008 Sudan Consortium, held in Oslo in May 2008, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, UNIFEM, and Inclusive Security convened a diverse group of Sudanese women leaders in Norway to call upon donors and the international community to support women's priorities for Sudan's development.
Participants in the Women's Preparatory Conference hailed from government and civil society and represented a broad range of regions and political interests. They reviewed progress addressing women's needs in peace building and reconstruction following the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005 and articulated current priorities. Participants identified four priority strategies for investment and programming:
- fast-track efforts to address areas in which women’s most serious human development deficits are concentrated;
- prioritize women’s leadership;
- enhance cooperation between government and women’s civil society organizations; and
- increase government and donor accountability to women.
Betty Ogwaro and Philister Baya, members of the Women Waging Peace Network, conveyed the group's efforts through formal statements made during Consortium plenary sessions. (Click to read Betty Ogwaro's statement and Philister Baya's statement.) The group also widely distributed their statements and conclusions. (Conclusions also available in Arabic.) UN Deputy Secretary General Asha Migiro, the highest ranked UN official in attendance, met with participants, calling their contributions critical to progress in Sudan and highlighting their priorities in the Consortium’s opening address. Participants also discussed their conclusions with Norway's Minister of International Cooperation, Erik Solheim, and various other senior leaders representing the Sudanese government, the UN, and the World Bank.
Women are now working to sustain momentum built in Oslo. They aim to broaden support and advocacy, develop indicators and timelines for monitoring the implementation of conclusions, and sustain strong coordination between women from all parts of the country.
Background
The Sudan Consortium is a forum to review progress in implementing the social and economic aspects of the CPA. The Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan chair the Consortium; the UN and World Bank organize meetings. Participants at the Women’s Preparatory Conference based analysis on a reassessment of the Oslo priorities for women developed in conjunction with the 2005 Oslo Donors Conference.
Participants in the Women's Preparatory Conference
Awatif Suleiman, Darfur Transitional Regional Authority
Betty Ogwaro, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Animal Resources for Eastern Equatoria State
Bruna Sirio, Southern Women Solidarity for Peace and Development
Iklas Osman, Ahfad University
Philister Baya, Southern Women Solidarity for Peace and Development
Safaa Adam, Community Development Association
Samia Elhashmi, Mutawinat Group
Samia Nihar, University of Khartoum
Sidiga Washi, Ahfad University, Babiker Badri Scientific Association for Women Studies
Suzan Elsadig Abdel Salam, Noon Center for Legal Consultation and Human Rights
Suzanne Jambo, New Sudanese Indigenous NGO's Network (NESI)
Zeynab Elsawi, Sudanese Women Empowerment for Peace (SuWEP)
The participants were joined by several women members of the Sudanese diaspora living in Europe.
Additional Information
UN News Centre: More International Support Needed for South Sudan, Says Migiro
Text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha Rose Migiro's Remarks at Opening Session of Sudan Consortium
