Women’s Participation in the Sudanese-Sudanese Dialogue Is a Guarantee of Its Success

Women’s Participation in the Sudanese-Sudanese Dialogue Is a Guarantee of Its Success

 

By: Mai Al-Fadil Ibrahim

 

Sudanese women are not a marginal party in the national equation, nor are they a constituency to be called upon during crises and then excluded when decisions are made. They are equal partners in building the state and society, representing half of society and playing a fundamental role in shaping future generations. Therefore, any Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue seeking to achieve genuine and sustainable peace cannot succeed if women are absent or their participation is merely symbolic.

 

Throughout the various stages and crises Sudan has experienced, Sudanese women have demonstrated their ability to shoulder responsibility, show resilience, and contribute meaningfully. They have been at the forefront of caring for families, supporting displaced people and those affected by conflict, engaging in volunteer and community initiatives, supporting education and healthcare, and preserving family and social cohesion under the most difficult circumstances.

 

For this reason, women’s inclusion in the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue is neither a concession nor a gesture of goodwill. It is a national right and a necessity for the success of the dialogue.

 

We need a dialogue that reflects the voice of all Sudan, with all its communities, regions, and social forces—and women are at the forefront of these constituencies. How can we discuss Sudan’s future while excluding the women who bear much of the burden of crises, wars, displacement, poverty, and family breakdown?

 

We call for women to constitute no less than 50 percent of participants in the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, with their participation being genuine and substantive rather than limited to honorary seats or ceremonial representation. Women must be represented on dialogue committees, at negotiation tables, in drafting recommendations, on committees responsible for implementing agreements, and in every institution concerned with shaping the country’s future.

 

We also call for women’s participation to extend to decision-making positions, parliament, legislative councils, national committees, and local councils, so that women are not merely recipients of decisions but active partners in making them.

 

The 50 percent threshold is not a political luxury. It reflects the reality that women constitute half of society, that social stability begins with family stability, and that women are often the backbone of the family, the source of its cohesion, and a key force in helping it overcome crises.

 

Women who have demonstrated their capabilities in the social, humanitarian, economic, educational, and media spheres are equally capable of becoming essential partners in political and legislative decision-making.

 

Sudan today does not need the exclusion of any component of society. Rather, it needs to broaden the circle of participation and build a state founded on competence, justice, and national partnership. Women must be at the heart of this equation.

 

We want a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue that does not merely speak about women, but one in which women themselves speak about Sudan’s future.