The project titled “Strengthening Women and Youth-led Approaches to Reconciliation and Conflict Prevention in South Kordofan and Blue Nile” was implemented in partnership with local partners Badya Centre for Integrated Development Services (Badya), Um Ser Diba Association for Development (Um Serdiba), and Paralegal’s Association (PASS) over a period of 30 months in the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The project aimed to support women’ and youths’ engagement and ownership of peace, security and reconciliation initiatives in the region.
In terms of programming, women and youth acquired skills which empowered them to contribute and lead in conflict resolution, conflict analysis, negotiation, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. Participants also gained knowledge on important topics such as individual and collective agency, identity, bargaining, and acceptance of diverse populations, increasing their agency toward leading peace initiatives. In summary, women and youth reported better visibility and voice in decision making circles and highlighted their increased abilities towards maintaining peaceful coexistence and local reconciliation among diverse tribes. A second component of the project – peace journalism – led to increased knowledge and skills of participants that empowered them to influence and change social behaviors away from violence and discrimination towards understanding differences and acting on commonalities. The final part of programming was targeted towards linking peacebuilding with livelihoods support, which was identified as a key priority by the communities in South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Overall, the project successfully increased personal agency and voice of women and youth around peace and reconciliation, as well as shifted attitudes regarding the role of women and youth as leaders and actors on peace and security.
Some of the key recommendations include:
1) Pay special attention to include psychological support component for improving mental health of vulnerable population
2) Analyze Internally displaced persons (IDPs) separately as a vulnerable group which needs additional psychological support
3) Link Livelihood support with small business initiatives such as livestock and small – machines to increase sustainability
4) Pay attention to economic stability of youth specifically
