Sudan: Sustained Peace for Development: Conflict Prevention and Peace-Building in Sudan

 

The South Kordofan area of Sudan is one of the most complex conflict systems in the country, with increasingly serious tensions building since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 and the secession of South Sudan in 2011. The Joint Programme aimed to prevent conflict from relapsing in four bordering states of Sudan by bolstering peace building, the rule of law and socioeconomic recovery within -- and between -- vulnerable communities and local authorities in targeted areas and villages. 

Within a fragile and volatile context, and the crucial need of linking local level conflict management with national priorities, the programme's goal was to strengthen conflict resolution mechanisms and improve resource management, planning and leadership. These initiatives were aimed at reducing the likeliness of inadvertent clashes triggered by local disputes over cattle grazing, water and land use that can lead to increased instability.

The programme supported community-led socio-economic development and improved local governance that is conflict-sensitive, accountable, accessible, efficient and sustainable in the target areas along the 1-1956 border in South Kordofan, by creating partnerships among stakeholders, including local communities, government institution and CBOs/NGOs. Its specific goals were:

  1. Strengthening systems and capacities for sustainable conflict prevention and management; and
  2. Increasing conflict-sensitive recovery, reconciliatory practices and reintegration at community level (with a focus on women and children).

The programme also increased access to justice and sought to generate peace dividends in order to tackle directly the root causes of the resource-based conflicts.

Main achievements included:

  • The programme reached more than 537,600 women and men (51% women), including nearly 6,500 who directly benefited from programme initiatives.
  • The programme triggered institutional changes and contributed to capacity development of local actors, which enhanced their ability to plan more adequately and enabled them to deliver services, especially to rural and pastoral communities, and engage in grassroots peace building work. Three Project steering committees and state level conflict resolution mechanisms were established through the intervention. The partnership with, and capacity support for, the Reconciliation and Peaceful Coexistence Mechanism is an example of the long lasting impact of the programme.
  • Interesting and innovative partnerships with new vertical and horizontal linkages were developed to prevent conflict, advance peace and promote peaceful coexistence among targeted populations. Capacities of the Native Administration were built up, with 1,238 leaders trained on conflict resolution and peace building.
  • The programme promoted and disseminated an innovative approach that links service delivery with peace building. Nine inter-community dialogue sessions were conducted on access and use of natural resources and traditional conflict management. These discussions resulted in communities reactivating their existing traditional conflict management mechanisms through the Native Administration structures, which are now active in settling internal disputes/conflicts (especially between farmers and pastoralists).
  • Fifteen community animal health workers from pastoralist communities were trained and equipped with essential equipment to provide animal health services and monitor the overall livestock situation. Some 75 participants from the state ministry of agriculture, the state ministry of animal wealth, the project steering committee, the project coordination group and village development committees were trained in natural resources-based conflict management and resolution.
  • Badly needed services such as drinking water, health services, veterinary services and classrooms were provided, which generated common and shared interests among diverse communities. Community leaders were trained in dealing with possible disputes over these services and also trained in maintenance in order to sustain the services.
  • The programme built the capacity of women's networks, youth groups and clubs at the community level and created linkages among them and between them and other actors.
  • Four women's community networks were established to support victims of gender based violence (GBV), rape and female genital mutilation in Keilak, Harazaya and Lagawa. In addition, 80 health personnel in hospitals in Lagawa, Kadugli and Dilling towns received advanced training on Clinical Management of Rape survivors.
  • Awareness-raising workshops and trainings were provided to 90 local government officials to strengthen technical skills on GBV in Lagawa and Keilak; 1,270 male and female community members attended workshops on elimination of GBV and other gender issues.
  • Sports Day for Peace was organized with the participation of men's youth associations and women's unions, who delivered peace messages and exchanged views.

 

Click for more detailed results from the Joint Programmes in Sudan.

 

 

 

JOINT PROGRAMME QUICK FACTS

Programme Dates 10 Dec 2009 - 31 Dec 2012
Net funded amount $3,006,317
Participating UN agencies IOM, UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, ILO, WHO, UNFPA, UNWOMEN
National partners Reconciliation and Peaceful Co-existence Mechanism (RPCM), PANCARE (a national NGO), South Kordofan State Ministry of Social Development, Women and Child Affairs (SMSDWCA), South Kordofan State Ministry of Education (SMoE), South Kordofan State Ministry of Finance (SMoF), Water & Environmental Sanitation Project (WES), State Water Corporation (SWC), Child Friendly Community Initiative (CFCI), South Kordofan State Ministry of Agriculture (SMoA), South Kordofan State Ministry of Health (SMoH), South Kordofan State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (SMoAF), South Kordofan State Ministry of Animal Wealth (SMoAW), South Kordofan State Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (SMoWI), Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Social Welfare, Peace & Development Studies Center (University of Dilling), Community Development Fund (CDF), Azza Women Association (NGO), Gender and Peace Building Center (NGO), SIBRO (NGO), Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS), Kundos Construction Company and Community Development Committees (CDCs/CBOs)
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