2019–20 Sudan highlights

Despite some progress after the 2019 revolution, instability and inter-ethnic conflict in many parts of Sudan have made it difficult for the transitional government to take steps towards inclusive peace.

In 2019–20, we supported partners to provide small grants to groups contributing to peacebuilding, tolerance and diversity. These included community initiatives supporting the role of young people and women during the government’s transitional period, promoting human rights, and working on public street lighting campaigns.

We supported our partner, Al Ayam Centre, to strengthen the role of young people in 144 committees of activists, to identify and address people’s needs and contribute to shaping political processes. Through a long process of sensitive outreach by Saferworld and our partners, we brought communities – divided across conflict lines in both government- and opposition-administered areas of Sudan – together for trust-building meetings and to share updates on civil society responses to insecurity.

We worked with our partner, the Democratic Thought Project, to provide over 7,000 books on governance, religion and culture for 800 reading circles, where communities discuss issues such as the relationship between the state and religion, and anti-racism. We also supported the Democratic Thought Project to produce a daily newspaper in Khartoum, helping to bring the voices of communities from conflict areas on the periphery to the capital, and to amplify these voices at the national level. Through learning and exchange visits organised by the Al Ayam Centre, we promoted solidarity and built trust between women and young people in different ethnic groups across Sudan.

Internationally, we supported women’s rights groups to develop a campaign strategy on accountability for the perpetration of sexual violence in Sudan. These groups then submitted 12 cases of gender-based violence for investigation, and linked survivors of gender-based violence with a centre that provides psychosocial and medical support.

A highlight of our work this year was opening an office in Khartoum. Through partners, we have always worked closely with Sudanese civil society and communities to help people have a say and engage with their governments and leaders in a way that is peaceful and fair. This is something we look forward to continuing in more depth.