Sudanese Women Experts Present Womens Priorities for the Geneva Negotiations

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U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, stated that he, along with U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Mike Hammer, and Ambassador Geeta Rao Gupta, the U.S. Secretary of the Office of Global Womens Issues, met with Sudanese womens groups in an online meeting to discuss ways to end the war.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Perriello explained that the meeting, organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace, included the exchange of ideas and recommendations on ending the war and providing humanitarian aid to those in dire need.

The Office of Global Women’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State mentioned in a statement on its Facebook page that a diverse group of Sudanese women experts continued to work with U.S. mediation teams and technical teams over the past weekend on key womens priorities related to the Geneva talks. These priorities include the immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, ending all forms of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, and ensuring womens participation in reporting and monitoring processes.

The statement added, "Sudanese women experts play a crucial role in setting and implementing priorities for ceasefire and humanitarian aid during the talks. Their insights pave the way for a more inclusive and effective approach for U.S. mediation teams and technical teams."

The Office had previously announced, on the second day of the Geneva negotiations, which began on Wednesday, August 14, that it was engaging with civil society leaders and Sudanese experts in Geneva alongside the ongoing talks.

The Office also called on the international community to end the indiscriminate violence against civilians, particularly women and girls. It emphasized that Sudanese civil society leaders are at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the conflict and that womens lived experiences are integral to ending the conflict.