|
US Congressional Action Alert
URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO ENSURE WOMEN’S
PARTICIPATION IN THE FUTURE OF SUDAN
February 25, 2024
The UN Security Council is currently preparing a resolution to
establish a UN peace operation in Sudan. The Initiative for Inclusive Security is advocating for the Security Council to pass a resolution
that creates a UN mission that fully incorporates gender perspectives
and utilizes women’s expertise and input. It is essential
for the future of Sudan that women’s contributions are encouraged
and supported in such areas as judicial and security sector reform,
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), the electoral
process and governing institutions, and justice and reconciliation
mechanisms.
The Initiative for Inclusive Security has developed draft language
for inclusion in the text of the resolution (attached). We sincerely
hope that the Security Council is able to incorporate as much language
as possible on women, drawing from UN Security Council Resolution
1325 (2000). At a minimum, the resolution should reaffirm international
obligations embodied in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 regarding
the participation of women in peace and security decisions and
programs.
A Sudan resolution that includes robust language supporting women’s
participation would build on other recent Security Council resolutions,
including Resolution 1542 (2004) establishing MINUSTAH in Haiti.
In 1542, the Security Council reaffirmed Resolution 1325 and included
within the MINUSTAH mandate gender training for the police force,
DDR programs for women and children, support for the human rights
and coordination of humanitarian assistance, with a specific focus
on women and children. Regarding Sudan, Resolution 1574 (2004)
for Sudan, already underlines the need for a national and inclusive
approach, including the role of women, towards reconciliation and
peace building in Sudan. It is essential that the Security Council
demonstrates its continuing commitment to an inclusive approach
in Sudan. I hope that you and your colleagues in Congress will
urge the Administration to insist on such language.
The Initiative for Inclusive Security (“Waging”),
a program of Hunt Alternatives Fund, advocates for the full participation
of women in peace processes around the world. Recently, Ambassador
Swanee Hunt, who chairs the initiative, travelled to Sudan and
Kenya to meet with representatives of various international organizations
and governments involved in the implementation of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement in Sudan. She also met with more than 120 women
who are deeply involved in efforts to build long-term peace in
Sudan.
Waging is urging the international community and the relevant
parties to: include women in the National Interim Constitutional
Review Commission and other commissions (including those covering
oil and land); to insist on women’s participation in all
future dialogues in Sudan (including peace negotiations to end
the crisis in Darfur); and to ensure that women are full participants
and stakeholders in all Sudanese reconstruction efforts (including
the Oslo donors conference).
We hope that the US Congress will join us in a bipartisan effort
to ensure women’s full participation in peace building efforts
in Sudan.
We urge you to contact the following US Government officials to
press for language that recognizes women’s roles in Sudan
and mandates that the UN mission incorporate women’s perspectives,
expertise, and priorities into every segment of its operations:
US Mission to the United Nations
Ambassador Anne Patterson, Acting Permanent Representative
Tel: 212-415-4410
Fax: 212-415-4303
Peggy Kerry, NGO Liaison
Tel: 212-415-4050
Fax: 212-415-4053
US State Department
Charles Snyder, Senior Representative on Sudan
Tel: 202-647-4512
Fax: 202-647-4553
Taiya Smith, Sudan Desk Officer
Tel: 202-647-4597
Fax: 202-647-4553
National Security Council
Cindy Courville, Director for African Affairs
Tel: 202-456-9261
Fax: 202-456-9260
return to top
|