Women of Sudan Speak Out

New Report Showcases Stories of Women on the Front Lines in Sudan

New York, NY – As the annual open debate on Women, Peace and Security at the United Nations begins, the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), The Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA), and The Gender in Emergencies Group (GiE) proudly launch a new report, “In Her Own Words: Voices of Sudan.” The report showcases the stories of 22 internally displaced and refugee women of Sudan from all walks of life. Stories were gathered in August of 2024 from students, nongovernmental organization (NGO) staff, women leaders, homemakers, mothers, and grandmothers, ranging in age from 18 to over 70.

The jointly produced report found that:

1. Sudanese women are demonstrating immense resilience in the face of crisis.
2. No woman was prepared for this war; no woman is protected in this war.
3. The war in Sudan is leading to gender role reversals.
4. Sudanese women are overwhelmed, under-resourced, and overburdened.

The report lays out a set of recommendations for governments, donors and donor funds, and humanitarian actors, including calling for strengthening the capacity of women-led networks and institutions to enable better communication, political coordination, and collaborative action between Sudanese women and their allies around the world, and to shape peace negotiations and humanitarian response.

“Sudanese women have long been experts in community building, peacebuilding, and nation-building, a commitment they’ve upheld for decades. Amid the current conflict, they continue to take the lead; however, they cannot do it alone. They require support and a platform for their voices to be heard. This project aims to amplify the voices of Sudanese women, ensuring that we prioritize their perspectives and follow their lead in the pursuit of lasting change,” said Women’s Refugee Commission Deputy Vice President of New Initiatives Kellie Leeson.

Since the most recent conflict began in April 2023, women have had to take on new roles, self-organizing and mobilizing what resources they can, often with little or no support. They have started successful small businesses, created safe spaces for women, and established learning centers for children, all the while facing displacement, harrowing journeys, ongoing attacks, and the loss of loved ones.

Lubna, a 23-year-old woman studying architecture and planning when the war broke out, told us that, “The war has added years to my age: before the war I was 22 and now I feel like I carry the experience of a retired person.” Lubna, along with other women in her community in Omdurman Salha, has created safe spaces for women as well as informal education and psychosocial programs for children and mothers. “I felt if I am here, at this time, at the crisis, then I am here for a reason…so I started thinking how I could make our lives better.”

Ikhlas, a 42-year-old agricultural engineer turned women’s rights activist from Khartoum, who was forced to flee her home and move north to Dongola, started volunteer humanitarian work to help her overcome the mental health and psychological trauma she was experiencing.
Now she is advocating for other women like her. “I want to make sure the voices of the Sudanese women are heard, those that are harassed, those that have limited livelihood opportunities, and those whose children have missed years of school. I really hope we get access to avenues to share their voices and dreams.”

Nearly every woman interviewed remarked on how unexpected the war was for them and their families, and how they had been living full, rich lives before they lost everything. Every single woman stressed the need for psychosocial care for themselves and their children. And many talked about the struggles of youth, and the danger of a “lost generation.”

“Sudanese women’s stories in this report reflect the catastrophic impact of this war not only on women’s lives but also on civilian lives. Immediate actions from all actors are highly needed to reduce the endless suffering of Sudanese women and their families,” said Dr. Limiaa Ahmed, Senior Program Director, Sudan Family Planning Association.

Report recommendations include:

1. Investing in the sustainable leadership and equal participation of Sudanese women in governance and peace negotiations at local, national, and international levels.
2. Urgently funding the Sudan response and prioritizing policy, programs, and funding that address the immediate needs of Sudanese women: protection from violence, access to humanitarian assistance and livelihoods, and psychosocial support.
3. Urgently investing in education, employment, and leadership pathways for young Sudanese women, to avoid risks of a lost generation.

“The women of Sudan must be heard,” said Gender in Emergencies Group CEO Isadora Quay. “There are practical ways for humanitarians to make that happen. The UN should immediately establish a dedicated forum for national women’s rights organisations to inform humanitarian decision-making.”

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) improves the lives and protects the rights of women, children, youth, and other people who are often overlooked, undervalued, and underserved in humanitarian responses to displacement and crises. We work in partnership with displaced communities to research their needs, identify solutions, and advocate for gender-transformative and sustained improvement in humanitarian, development, and displacement policy and practice. Since our founding in 1989, we have been a leading expert on the needs of refugee women, children, and youth and the policies that can protect and empower them. www.womensrefugeecommission.org.

The Sudan Family Planning Association (SFPA) main mission is to provide high-quality sexual and reproductive health services (SRHR), according to IPPF and the Ministry of Health protocols and standards, aiming to improve women’s reproductive and sexual health and to preserve their rights for freedom of choice. SRHR services are provided through various modalities and include static and mobile clinics, mobile teams, and community health workers. SFPA has a strong record of delivering services in humanitarian settings since 2010, its interventions with Ethiopian refugees in Eastern Sudan, during natural disasters of flooding, and lastly the war of Sudan. SFPA collaborates with partners to provide SRHR services to hard-to-reach and underserved populations in poor, IDP, and refugee sites. https://www.sudanfpa.org/ and www.ippf.org/about-us/member-associations/sudan.

The Gender in Emergencies Group is helping humanitarians to put gender equality into practice. The GiE Group is a feminist social enterprise dedicated to advancing gender equality in humanitarian action. www.giegroup.org.

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