Africa Press Release
The Office of the African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace, and Security, with support from UN Women and the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), held a virtual meeting on 12 May 2023 in coordination with the “Peace for Sudan Platform” to support and amplify their call to end the conflict, highlight the impact on women and girls, and mobilize support to women’s peacebuilding and protection efforts in Sudan. The meeting was led by Mme. Bineta Diop – African Union Special Envoy for Women Peace and Security, the meeting was graced by H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of the Republic of Liberia and Patron of AWLN, Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former UN Women Executive Director, Member of the Panel of the Wise of the AU and Co-Convener of the AWLN, and Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenya, among others, according to the “Zawya” website.
Sudanese women have always played a key role in shaping Sudan’s political development, and in supporting national peace, security, and resilience. Today, with women and girls facing severe and disproportionate impacts of the ongoing crisis, their involvement in response and meditation efforts will be crucial to ensuring gender-equal aid, as well as to building lasting peace within the country.
Despite several attempts to reach a ceasefire, fighting continues in Khartoum, Darfur, and other parts of the country. Shortages of food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel are becoming extremely acute, especially in Khartoum and surrounding areas. In a country where around 4 million children and pregnant and lactating women were already severely malnourished, food shortages—coupled with the temporary suspension of humanitarian aid—have heightened consequences for women and girls, who have been disproportionately dependent on international assistance. Reports of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, are surfacing, with access to prevention and response services severely limited in Khartoum and across the country due to the ongoing fighting and the destruction and looting of healthcare centers and hospitals. Of the seven hundred thousand people internally displaced and the nearly 200,000 who have fled to neighboring countries, women, girls, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations represent the majority.
Speakers highlighted the gendered dimensions of the conflict, and the dire need to increase women’s inclusion in decision-making processes. Magda Omar, former Senior Gender Advisor for the SRSG of the UN Mission in Libya speaking on behalf of the Sudanese women and the “Peace for Sudan Platform” presented the current security and humanitarian situation. Ms. Amina Shain, founder of the Gender Center for Research and Development and a member of the “Peace for Sudan Platform”, noted that the impact of war is affecting women and girls disproportionately.
