Women-led self-protection in Sudan

"In parts of Sudan, local NGOs and women’s groups have taken the lead in their own protection, and their considerable achievements have helped change the status of women in their communities. Since the outbreak of civil war in 2011 in Sudan’s South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, the civilian population has experienced intense aerial bombardment and ground attacks. At least 4,082 bombs and missiles have hit predominantly civilian targets including villages, schools and hospitals. Some 450,000 women, men, boys and girls are internally displaced while another approximately 250,000 people have fled to South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. Since the warn broke out, the Sudanese government has banned international humanitarian actors, media representatives and local traders from accessing opposition-controlled areas. In the absence of any effective international assistance and protection, local NGOs and a women’s association have supported up to 400,000 individuals by providing basic survival and selfprotection guidance and by building awareness. In this article, Nagwa Musa Konda, former Executive Director of Nuba Relief, Rehabilitation and Development Organisation, and Leila Karim Tima Kodi, head of the Nuba Mountains Women’s Association, speak about their experience of locally led protection efforts in Sudan"