Darfur women demand gender balance in Sudan govt

Yesterday, leading members of the Darfur Women Group presented the recommendations of its consultative forum held last month to Aisha Mousa, member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council.

The group “represents women of the five states of Darfur with their various political and societal components”, they said in a press statement on Thursday.

The Darfur Women Forum held in November recommended that women not only participate in peace negotiations, but also take part in the demobilisation, disarmament, and reconstruction committees.

The forum affirmed the need of a 50 per cent women representation in Sudan’s executive and legislative bodies.  

The group further demanded individual and collective compensation for the people affected by the civil war that started in February 2003, reconstruction of the many destroyed villages, and the expulsion of new settlers who are currently occupying lands of Darfur displaced and refugees, so that the Darfuris will be able to return to their areas of origin.

The recommendations as well stressed the necessity of bringing Al Bashir and other leading members of the former regime to international justice.

Aisha Mousa reacted by praising the role of the Sudanese women, in particular the Darfuri women, in achieving peace and stability in the country. He stated that the recommendations summarise the items discussed during the current peace negotiations in Juba.

In October, the USA-based Darfur Women Action Group and 37 experts and Sudanese civil society representatives produced a “Strategic Framework for Sustainable Change in the Republic of Sudan”. The comprehensive strategy was delivered to the Sudanese government, as well as to international and regional actors and stakeholders working on Sudan.

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