Outcome SDN_D_4.1

Commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented in coordination between the UN System and national stakeholders, with more women and gender equality advocates influencing the processes

A commitment to incorporate women's concerns and ensure their effective participation in humanitarian processes has been made by the Emergency Resident Coordinator (ERC). This result was reached during a meeting in which the Sudan Women in Humanitarian Response Forums presented their demands for the integration of gender-based violence (GBV) considerations, funding, and women's participation in the drafting of humanitarian response plans at the macro level. UN Women has contributed to building a more inclusive approach in humanitarian coordination, emphasizing the unique needs and priorities of women and girls. The establishment of the Sudan Women in Humanitarian Response Forums in 8 states provided a vital platform for women-led organizations to collaborate and share best practices, fostering a coordinated approach to addressing gender issues in humanitarian contexts. Through these forums, civil society organizations exchanged insights, strengthened their networks, and enhanced their capacity to contribute to humanitarian response efforts. These collective efforts of coordination have been achieved through enhancing the capacities of the organizations on GiHA, PSEA, CFM to equip them with the necessary skills to advocate for gender-sensitive approaches in humanitarian interventions. While challenges in fully leveraging the potential of these organizations persisted, the progress achieved in fostering meaningful engagement of civil society was a notable success. On Women, Peace and Security, a key commitment from the African Union to ensure 50% women’s participation in AU-led processes during the Sudan Women’s Peace Dialogue, held in July, marked a significant milestone despite the absence of formal peace negotiations. UN Women played a key role in advancing women’s participation in international forums and peace efforts, thereby influencing decision making processes although formal peace, policy, and humanitarian processes were stalled due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The AU went an extra mile by strongly recommending the participation of five Sudanese women from the Kampala dialogue (dates) to participate in the African Union’s planned Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue framework. These actions highlighted the ongoing need for women’s involvement in peace processes, even in the context of political instability. Further a virtual briefing organized by UN Women in September contributed to the adoption of a resolution extending the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM), reinforcing the critical role of women’s participation and survivor-centered approaches to addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented in coordination between the UN System and national stakeholders, with more women and gender equality advocates influencing the processes

After the eruption of the war and to ensure that commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented, UNW redesigned its programs and geared its programmatic support towards strengthening the women-led organizations and the women-led peace movements to influence the course and direction of the peace in Sudan and return the country to the democratic path. Through its humanitarian programing, UNW applied the triple nexus to ensure that the protection and prevention pillars of NAP 1325 are implemented while also contributing to the participation pillar through encouraging the leadership and active participation in humanitarian response. The humanitarian agenda, the situation rooms established within the local humanitarian initiatives and the advocacy messages developed by these local initiatives to ensure the protection from and prevention of VAW in the current humanitarian context, were strategic tools that contributed to ensuring that commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented. In the domain of WPS, UN Women worked to strengthen the women-led peace movements in Sudan, an area which intersects with WPPL thematic area. The high level of organization of WLOs transforming into the peace and humanitarian platforms and antiwar groups inside and outside Sudan, their engagement with each other, along with the dire need to consolidate common agenda, an agreed set of demands and priorities and the need to develop key advocacy messages signified a shift from capacity building to active advocacy. This meant that UNW had to make a conscious and strategic shift from capacity building to active participation in order to try to influence the manner in which women-led organizations would work together for peace. The enhanced coordination amongst the women led peace and humanitarian platforms and collective advocacy constituted a key step toward holding the duty bearers accountable to ending the war and opening a path for humanitarian aid and services, provide for the protection of women from CRSV and return to the democratic pathway, which are all are key elements of the national WPS agenda. In addition, the establishment of local peace committees and different initiatives led by gender equality advocates to engender the informal peace processes contributed to the implementation of women, peace and security commitments and will continue to do so. The strategic focus on supporting the triple nexus and empowering gender equality advocates - particularly women - to take on leadership roles in influencing the direction of the country towards peace, is a key strategy that contributes to ensuring that the program pillar of women, peace and security are priorities and needs to be attended to by the duty bearers. The realization of this strategic focus is evident as these advocates, now equipped with enhanced capacities, actively contribute not only to the implementation of UNSCR 1325 national action plans on WPS but also for a new plan that is grounded in the triple nexus.

Commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented in coordination between the UN System and national stakeholders, with more women and gender equality advocates influencing the processes

During the reporting period, UN Women has significantly contributed to the implementation of the UN and national commitments on Women, Peace and Humanitarian Action. The successful engendering of the Sudan HRP and HNO led by Sudan CO is the first step realize the implementation of UN commitments in this domain. In addition, the successful collaborative efforts between UN Women, UNITAMS, UNDP, Sida and the National women’s groups to engender the political framework agreement is a significant step towards realizing the implementation of WPS agenda. It is worth noting that among the key provisions included in the political agreement are: 1) ensuring 40 % women’s representation not only in the legislative Council but also executive institutions and the judiciary. 2) while the Juba Peace Agreement 2022 is now subject to review, the gender related provisions are not be reviewed but retained. 3) the state is to ensure that it abides by all UN security Council resolutions related to WPS. These are all key achievements that paves that way to realization of UN commitments in the WPS and humanitarian domains.

Commitments on women, peace and humanitarian action are implemented in coordination between the UN System and national stakeholders, with more women and gender equality advocates influencing the processes

While access to formal peace negotiations and high-level decision-making remained constrained, UNW progressed WPHA commitments by combining UN system coordination, inclusive capacity building, and strategic partnerships; Women leaders and women-led organizations were equipped through targeted training on UNSCR 1325, mediation, negotiation, advocacy, coordination, and conflict analysis, enhancing their readiness to engage meaningfully when opportunities emerge. Through WPHF-supported interventions, 6,688 women and girls accessed coordinated information, services, livelihoods support, protection, and leadership opportunities across multiple states, strengthening women’s agency, resilience, and engagement in peace and humanitarian action. This included women-headed households, internally displaced women, young women, women with disabilities, and women in rural and displacement-affected areas, reflecting systematic application of the Leave No One Behind principle. As a result, women’s influence at community and sub-national levels was strengthened. More than 1,800 women strengthened leadership, mediation, negotiation, and advocacy capacities, enabling their participation in community dialogues, local peace initiatives, and coordination platforms with humanitarian actors. The establishment of safe spaces and referral pathways supported women’s protection and voice, contributing to safer participation in public and community decision-making processes. At the systems level, UN Women leveraged its leadership roles within the Humanitarian Country Team, the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, and IASC coordination mechanisms to mainstream gender across humanitarian, development, and peace initiatives. Technical support to WFP and FAO resulted in more gender-responsive registration, targeting, and distribution systems, improving the identification and reach of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable women and girls, including GBV survivors, pregnant and lactating women, women with disabilities, and female-headed households. These shifts strengthened accountability and translated WPHA commitments into practice within humanitarian operations. Women’s perspectives were further integrated into UN planning, advocacy, and accountability frameworks through structured engagement platforms, including strategic dialogues with the UN Country Team, participation in regional and global forums (CSW, GIMAC, UNGA Beijing+30), and the national commemoration of the 25th anniversary of UNSCR 1325. Complementing these efforts, UN Women supported the consolidation of the 2025 Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and strengthened the capacities of 330 humanitarian actors and community leaders on gender-sensitive programming, GBV/PSEA, and women’s rights, reinforcing ethical standards and coordinated implementation of commitments.