Sudan Transition Program – South (STP-S)
Strengthening the Conditions for a Civilian-Led Democratic Transition
Challenge
In South Kordofan and Blue Nile, decades of conflict led to widespread instability, faltering local economies, and lack of civilian political participation. The lack of tangible dividends to communities was also a key spoiler of democratic transformation. Nevertheless, some civil society networks were able to effectively navigate iterations of conflict and peace through the efforts of brave and dedicated civilians. Active civil society, including women and youth networks, continued to require timely and catalytic support to better organize themselves, and access to timely and reliable information to lead their communities toward democratic change.
Approach
Sudan Transition Program – South (STP-S) focused on critical support to civil society organizations, building social cohesion, and strategic communications and public information/outreach. The project maintained a regional office in Blue Nile State, a roving team based across Greater Kordofan, and (up until the outbreak of armed conflict in April 2023) an office in Khartoum.
Goals and Results
Despite the disruption caused by the armed conflict, STP-S continued to focus on building capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs), building and strengthening social institutions, conducting public outreach, repairing and rehabilitating small-scale infrastructure, and promoting festivals and other community-building events.
For example, STP-S supported participants attending the Transitional Justice workshop in Damazine, Blue Nile State, and then Khartoum. STP-S thereby increased participation of pro-democracy actors in political consultations and contributed to the U.S. Government’s efforts to improve these groups’ outreach across diverse constituencies.
STP-S also supported a Sudanese CSO to organize 60 youth to explore areas like agriculture, machinery operation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and community engagement. The workshop concluded with participants presenting a wide range of innovative ideas, from recycling initiatives to clean energy projects.