SUDAN: Sudanese Women Exchange Personal Stories and Peace Strategies

Life is not easy for many women in Sudan. Because of decades of civil war, they have suffered extreme violence and trauma due to displacements, the loss of life and instability of their country.

For those lucky enough to survive the war atrocities and return to their homes, the challenges are daunting. But that still does not dampen their spirits or will to survive. United States Institute of Peace experts on Sudan Jacqueline Wilson and Nina Sughrue witnessed that first-hand recently, when they joined the Boston-based, Sudan-registered group My Sister's Keeper, in conducting a workshop for women on peacebuilding and stability July 25-30 in the city of Juba.

Sughrue said the workshop was attended by a group of very culturally and religiously diverse women from all regions of Sudan including some from Darfur, who didn't speak English. They participated with the help of translators. All of the women were sensitive and traumatized by years of war that has left hundreds of thousands of loved ones - men, women and children dead.
Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is facing charges for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court for abusing human rights and unleashing death squads in Darfur, the war-torn region of western Sudan.

Sudanese women diaspora were brought to Sudan to link up with Sudanese grass roots women. The purpose was to develop those linkages to better serve the five working groups that were developed in Boston. According to Wilson, “this model of training diaspora women and bringing them to Sudan is a very creative and well-planned model of diaspora engagement.” Sughrue said, “For women from all over Sudan to come together was very significant and challenging. To get them to build trust and collaborative problem solving skills was more of a process than I had imagined. Each region of Sudan has experienced extreme violence and trauma - getting the women to open up and see that they were not the only ones to have suffered - all of the women in Sudan have suffered - was quite an accomplishment.”

“Having such a diverse group of people come together, connect with their diaspora sisters and their fellow sisters in Sudan was tremendous. It was a transformative experience that required skillful facilitation and patience!” said Sughrue.

During a skills training session in the workshop, the women learned how to listen and trust each other. They told stories of abuse and pain, and USIP trainers had to readjust each day's agenda constantly to accommodate all the life stories.

The Sudanese women attended the workshop with lofty goals for ending years of civil war in their homeland. Each of the working groups came up with a vision, goals, objectives and specific activities calling for peace in Darfur to conducting peacebuilding workshops for rural women. Over the next six months, these projects will be monitored by My Sister's Keeper, USIP, and Inclusive Security as well as the diaspora delegates.

USIP's workshop leaders Wilson and Sughrue were sought by the Boston based, Sudan-registered group My Sister's Keeper because of the Institution's reputation for excellent training and in-depth knowledge of Sudan. My Sister's Keeper was started by Pastor Dr. Gloria White-Hammond, who in addition to implementing the workshop, opened a primary school in 2003 for 525 girls in rural Akon, Sudan, to prepare the next generation of women leaders.

“I am still basking in the glow and continue to marvel at just how amazing everything was,” said Pastor Dr. White-Hammond of the workshop. “So many little miracles coalesced to create a transformational experience for so many of us.”

The workshop was also supported by the Institute for Inclusive Security, a research group on women, peace and security, which conducted some of the workshop's programs. Also present were Sudanese ministry officials, who opened and closed the ceremonies.

Jacqueline Wilson has been conducting conflict resolution programs across all areas of Sudan since 2005. She specializes in traditional conflict resolution mechanisms and is presently pursuing her doctorate at Georgetown University. Nina Sughrue coordinates USIP training programs on conflict management skills. She is an expert in Middle East and South Asia, speaks Arabic, and has traveled all over the world.