Report: Gezira under RSF Control – Overall Situation

(Arabic below)

 

On December 18th, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) invaded Gezira State and initiated a new phase of the ongoing conflict. Unlike in Khartoum, where upon outbreak of the war, active combat was initiated between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) within residential neighbourhoods, in Gezira the RSF entered the state swiftly and without much resistance or combat with the SAF, whose forces had quickly withdrawn from the region. While active combat was minimal in the state, the capture of Gezira by the RSF has particularly high stakes from military, humanitarian, and economic perspectives. Gezira is one of the most populous regions in Sudan, hosting a large number of inhabitants as well as a large population of people already displaced from Khartoum. It is also a site for significant agricultural production and was the major food supply to White Nile and eastern Sudan. Moreover, since the war, Gezira had become a hub for international organizations and UN Agencies who shifted to the state since the majority of IDPs from Khartoum and other areas of western Sudan had temporarily settled in Gezira. At the time of the RSF attack on Gezira, the region could have at least 5 to 6 million people, if not more. Furthermore, Gezira became a transiting region for people travelling from other parts of Sudan, going through Gezira in order to avoid routes near or entering Khartoum.

Map of Gezira

These factors have made the invasion of Gezira by the RSF particularly damaging, as this invasion has exposed a large number of civilians to ongoing violence. At the same time, the placement and nature of Gezira, a non-militarized, agricultural state, has meant that civilians have been vulnerable to attacks and looting by the RSF. Information about the invasion of Gezira has been extremely limited—unlike in Khartoum, where grassroots resistance committees and emergency rooms have been able to report on ongoing abuses, rural towns in Gezira have had limited mechanisms for reporting due to the absence of grassroots organizations as well as extremely weak telecom networks. This report outlines a fraction of the human rights abuses and sexual violence that have occurred in Gezira over the past month. The sequence of accounts contained below were reported directly from victims/survivors or mainstream media reporting, with accounts triangulated by multiple posts on social media. The cases of sexual violence outlined below came from trusted women’s networks, who have struggled to maintain communication with survivors and have noted that at times they lose contact with survivors due to the ongoing violence and instability.

Crimes Against Civilians:

From the first hours of the RSF’s move into Gezira, it was evident that they were planning to besiege the region. While civilians attempted to sneak out of Gezira on foot, the RSF besieged the civilian population and intentionally obstructed civilians from leaving during that time, while simultaneously subjecting those on foot to blackmail, abuse, and physical violence, including killing, as can be seen in videos on social media. Despite the absence of combat from the SAF, the RSF initiated a violent campaign on the civilian population, which included looting, terrorizing tactics, and sexual violence. This demonstrates that civilians in the region experienced were not experiencing violence as collateral damage but rather they were the primary targets of the violence and numerous other human rights abuses. Torture and forced recruitment were often reported by those who managed to flee the region. Reporting from Wad Madani has indicated that the RSF has used the children’s courts as a recruitment location in order to enlist child soldiers. Villages and towns in Gezira have been reported in some cases to take up arms attempting to protect themselves from the RSF, further militarizing the situation and placing civilians at risk. Other villages and towns have struck deals with the RSF, some of which involve the recruitment of soldiers from the town or village in exchange for food and prevention of looting and violence at the hands of the soldiers. Several videos were released by the RSF themselves showing the harassment, terrorization, and assault of civilians, including elders and children. Many older women, children, and sick people were besieged in the villages and towns, and they had no means to leave.

The RSF’s campaign of violence in Gezira targeted state infrastructure and private property, while also launching aggressive campaigns against young men, who were seen as potential adversaries. Reports have indicated that groups of young men were shot dead on Sennar Road in Wad Madani as they attempted to leave the city. On the 9th of January, the RSF killed Babkir Abu Khalif and injured other civilians while a large number of young men were kidnapped.

Meanwhile, the RSF looted homes, businesses, hospitals, schools, and government facilities. Following the this looting, the RSF has often destroyed the buildings themselves—this has been noted particularly for banks, as well as research institutions such as the Crops Lab, and gum arabic grain storage facilities. Private and public hospitals, health centres, and pharmacies have all been put out of service, with most of them looted. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles have been stolen.

The RSF targeted the University of Gezira, where the University of Gezira’s complexes, its property, and the property of the professors were looted. This included the systematic looting of the university’s administrative buildings, including the sites of academic affairs, student affairs, and all the relevant deanships. In addition, the university’s savings bank, its branches, the university farm, and the International Hall (Al-Razi) were robbed. On the 24th of December, citizens from Al Ekora village reported a massive looting campaign, where they lost everything: the goods in their shops, their vehicles, and their savings.

The resulting insecurity and lack of facilities had real human costs, with vulnerable populations forced to leave in the midst of all this. Gezira state was hosting hundreds of civilians from communities with special needs, including orphaned children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Infants from Mygoma Orphanage were forced to evacuate again, leaving Wad Madani. According to media reports in Kassala, six children, most already suffering from poor health, died on the road, with many from the orphanage afflicted with Kwashiorkor disease (severe malnutrition associated with famine conditions).

All of this was accompanied by a pattern of mass violence against civilians. On December 18th, at 2 pm, reports confirmed the killing of two medical staff at Rufa’a Town Hospital after the RSF invaded the city. One of the two who were murdered is Dr. Mohamed Yousef Al Hamary. On the 23rd of December, witnesses confirmed that the RSF killed eight individuals from the village of Umm Dakarsi, a town in the Gezira region, when they objected to looting cars from inside the village. On Thursday, the 21st of December, the RSF killed Abdu Moutal Fadul, an economist and professor at Gezira University, at his home in the Bannat Area. On the 26th, Asma Awad Elsid, a woman teacher living in the Bannat Area, was killed by RSF inside her own home. According to the source, the killing happened when the RSF was looting her home. On the 21st of December, a SIHA affiliate reported a woman’s body was found on the road in front of their home in the Bannat Neighbourhood in Wad Madani. On January 5th, according to Rufa’a News, Lowyayi Awad Al Fadni, a 16-year-old boy, was shot dead by RSF soldiers in Rufa’a town for objecting to the soldiers entering his home. On Saturday, December 29th, Dr. Ahmed Al-Siddiq Ahmed Al-Abbas Al-Bakhit was killed by the RSF after he was forced out of a van travelling out of Gezira. On January 1st, three citizens were shot dead by the RSF inside the mosque in the Almedina Arab Area, located west of Wad Madani while they were performing their afternoon prayer. Seven other bodies of other civilian victims were found near the city market.

In addition to documented cases of killings, since December 15th nine women were reported missing from the Gezira region on social media. Six of the missing women have since been found, while the whereabouts of the following three women remain unknown: Khadija Yousef Said from the Al Kamlin Locality Abbas Village, Somia Fadul from Madani AbHaraz Village, and Tarikat Al-Saiaa from Wad Madani Al Hay Al Sudani.

Civilians have also faced risks due to the ongoing activity of the SAF. While the SAF withdrew from Wad Madani and much of Gezira, effectively ceding the area to the RSF, they have undertaken bombing campaigns that have also placed civilians in danger. On January 5th, the SAF launched aerial bombardments in Wad Madani, according to the resistance committee of Wad Mandani. They also noted that, although there are reports of injuries among civilians, it was challenging to reach the affected locations due to the dangerous security situation in the city as a result of the RSF’s occupation. On January 10th, the SAF performed aerial bombardments in al Haj Abdallah town south of Gezira, killing ten civilians.

Sexual Violence:

The RSF’s presence in Gezira and the city of Wad Madani starting in December has exposed many to sexual violence. While reports from Gezira are still limited due to the poor network there and the spread of fear resulting from the mass atrocities being committed by the RSF in the region. These rapes were committed by the RSF, who also assaulted and robbed the targeted individuals.

In addition, we have received a number of other reports of sexual violence in Gezira over the past month. On December 19th, the emergency room of Al Hasaheisa reported that they received six women who were sexually assaulted in Rufa’a Town by the RSF; a medical doctor in the area had also confirmed that he examined six women who had been sexually assaulted in the area. That same day, we received a report of a family from Wad Madani in the Al Zamalek Area whose home was invaded. The RSF attempted to kidnap two young women (ages 19 and 24); the father and 12-year-old-boy fought with the soldiers, and both were killed, and the two women were raped. The mother and daughter have managed to flee to a northern region of Sudan. On December 20th, we received reports that a 19-year-old was found in the Wad Azrag Area and claimed to have been raped by the RSF; she was taken to stay in the home of a community member.

On the 21st of December, sources confirmed that the RSF robbed the home of Nahla Mohmed Osman in the Al Matar Neighbourhood of Wad Madani, while she and her mother, Haja Zeinab, were in the house. After the robbery, the RSF came back to the house and attempted to rape Nahla. Nahla used a hammer to try to fight the RSF soldiers off, at which point the RSF shot Nahla and her mother, leaving Nahla dead and Haja severely wounded. Nahla, who had been three months pregnant at the time of her death, was buried in front of her home like far too many other Sudanese people who have been murdered by the RSF and as a result of this ongoing war.

On the 22nd of December, a medical doctor in Wad Madani said he was finding difficulties responding to the calls of women and girls who reported being raped in the Marinjan Area of Southeast Wad Madani because of the security situation and obstruction of movement by the RSF. That same day, reports that came from the Kassala Emergency Room confirmed the arrival of a woman from Khartoum who had been displaced to Wad Madani and had been raped before being further displaced to Kassala, having not received medical support. On the 24th of December, reports were received that seven women had been raped in the Wad Madani Industrial Area; however, communication was not established with the survivors. That same day, a 22-year-old-woman reached one of Khartoum’s emergency rooms and reported being raped in Wad Madani. On the 26th of December, we received reports that three women were raped in Al Daraga Neighbourhood in Wad Madani while they were attempting to leave; however, efforts to communicate with them to support their fleeing were not successful, and contact was lost. On December 26th, SIHA received a report of one woman who was raped, and we were able to successfully help the survivor receive medical support.

On the 27th of December, we documented 3 cases of sexual violence. These crimes occurred on the road to Khartoum while the women attempted to flee Wad Madani. On January 10th, a young woman refugee reported being raped by the RSF next to the School of Agricultural Research Institute. 

Recommendations

We echo the recommendations that were shared by Sudanese civil society on December 24/2023 for international actors and friends of Sudan to:

Immediately implement a civilian protection framework which is gender-responsive and ensures unhindered access to community-led humanitarian aid for the people in Sudan whom this mass campaign of atrocities and violence has impacted. This framework should have actionable consequences if violated.

Immediately establish a cessation of hostility, monitored closely and overseen by ground forces and the establishment of civilian safe zones. This should be done while facilitating a broad-based and inclusive civilian-led conflict transformation process in which women are leading. 

Establish an international criminal tribunal (similar to the tribunal established to address the crimes of genocide in Rwanda) to address the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Sudan conflict. This tribunal is critical for building accountability mechanisms for future political processes and avoiding recycling violence.

Exert pressure on the RSF and their allies to stop the killing and the destruction of Sudan’s infrastructure. The SAF must be pressured to come to the table with a viable and serious political process that will enable civilians’ and women’s participation and guarantee that both RSF and SAF are not part of any ruling structures in Sudan.

Enhance support for adequate humanitarian aid for the civilians affected by the conflict by providing resources and programs to support communities of IDPs’ livelihoods and social well-being, along with mental health and psychosocial support services.

Implement the fact-finding mission by the UN Human Rights Council. This mission must be consolidated and supported by the formation of a Sudan fact-finding mission by the Security Council to examine the breaches and violations of the Security Council resolutions in Darfur and Sudan and specifically to investigate the massive sexual violence crimes committed across the country.

Stop illicit financial streams and political economies that enrich critical perpetrators of violence.

مقدمة:

احتلت قوات الدعم السريع ولاية الجزيرة في اليوم الثامن عشر من شهر ديسمبر، مُعلنة بذلك بداية مرحلة جديدة من الصراع القائم. خلافاً لما حدث في الخرطوم خلال بداية اندلاع الحرب من معارك نشطة بين قوات الدعم السريع والقوات المسلحة السودانية كانت الأحياء السكنية مسرحاً لعملياتها العسكرية، كان دخول قوات الدعم السريع إلى ولاية الجزيرة سريعاً ودون مقاومة تذكر من جانب القوات المسلحة السودانية التي انسحبت قواتها وتشكيلاتها العسكرية سريعاً من المنطقة. وبالرغم من انحسار العمليات العسكرية في ولاية الجزيرة، إلا أن سيطرة قوات الدعم السريع على ولاية الجزيرة ستلقي بظلالها على كافة الجوانب الأمنية، والإنسانية، والاقتصادية. وذلك لأن ولاية الجزيرة تعتبر من أكبر الولايات من حيث التعداد السكاني بين ولايات السودان، فهي تحتضن عدداً كبيراً من السكان، هذا بالإضافة إلى المواطنين النازحين القادمين من الخرطوم. كما أنها ولاية ذات انتاج زراعي مميز يساهم بشكل كبير في توفير الغذاء إلى مناطق النيل الأبيض كردفان وشرق السودان. فضلاً عن ذلك، أصبحت ولاية الجزيرة مركزاً رئيسياً للمنظمات الدولية ووكالات الأمم المتحدة التي اتخذت فيها مقراً لها خصوصاً بعد أن أصبحت الولاية مُستقراً مؤقتاً لأغلبية النازحين القادمين من الخرطوم ومناطق غرب السودان. يقدر عدد السكان في ولاية الجزيرة بحوالي (5) إلى (6) مليون نسمة وفقاً لأقل تقدير في وقت هجوم قوات الدعم السريع على الولاية. كما أن ولاية الجزيرة كانت قد أصبحت معبراً مناسباً لكافة المسافرين من مناطق السودان الأخرى، حيث أن العبور بولاية الجزيرة يمكنهم من تجنب المرور بالخرطوم أو المسارات القريبة أو المؤدية إلى الخرطوم. 

كافة هذه العوامل قد ساهمت في مفاقمة التداعيات الخطرة لاحتلال قوات الدعم السريع لولاية الجزيرة، وذلك لأن هذا الاحتلال قد عرَّض عددًا كبيرًا من المدنيين لويلات الحرب. وفي الوقت نفسه، فإن ولاية الجزيرة تعتبر بطبيعة الحال ولاية زراعية غير عسكرية، مما يعني أن المدنيين في المنطقة سيكونون هدفاً سهلاً للهجمات وأعمال النهب على يد قوات الدعم السريع. وعلى النقيض من الخرطوم، فإن المعلومات حول احتلال الجزيرة كانت شحيحة للغاية، ففي الخرطوم تمكنت لجان المقاومة القاعدية وغرف الطوارئ من رصد ونشر المعلومات حول الانتهاكات القائمة، بينما المناطق الريفية في ولاية الجزيرة لديها آليات محدودة فيما يخص التبليغ والتقرير عن الانتهاكات وذلك لانعدام التنظيم على المستوى القاعدي بالإضافة إلى ضعف شبكات الاتصال.

 يسلط هذا التقرير الضوء على جزء قليل جداً من جملة انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان والعنف الجنسي الذي وقع في ولاية الجزيرة خلال الأسابيع التي تلت اجتياح الدعم السريع للولاية.

خريطة ولاية الجزيرة.

محتويات التقرير أدناه تم استخلاصها بشكل مباشر من مصادرها من الضحايا والناجين والناجيات، فضلاً عن مصادر من وسائل الإعلام العامة، ومحتويات منشورات مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي الموثوقة ذات الصلة. كما أن المعلومات الموضحة أدناه حول حالات العنف الجنسي مصدرها شبكات نسائية موثوقة عانت الأمريّن حتى تحافظ على التواصل مع الناجيات — كما أن النساء من هذه الشبكات النسائية المختصة قد أشرن إلى أنهن يفقدن التواصل مع الناجيات نظراً لظروف الأعمال العدائية القائمة وعدم الاستقرار.

الجرائم ضد المدنيين

منذ الساعات الأولى لتحرك قوات الدعم السريع إلى ولاية الجزيرة، كان من الواضح أنها تخطط لمحاصرة المنطقة. وبينما حاول المدنيون التسلل من ولاية الجزيرة سيراً على الأقدام، حاصرت قوات الدعم السريع السكان المدنيين ومنعتهم عمداً من المغادرة خلال تلك الفترة، بينما عرضتهم في الوقت نفسه للابتزاز والإساءة والعنف الجسدي، بما في ذلك القتل كما يتضح ذلك من مقاطع الفيديو على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

وعلى الرغم من غياب الاشتباكات نتيجة لانسحاب القوات المسلحة السودانية، بدأت قوات الدعم السريع حملة عنيفة على السكان المدنيين، والتي شملت النهب وتكتيكات الترهيب والعنف الجنسي. وهذا يدل على أن المدنيين في المنطقة لم يتعرضوا للعنف كأضرار جانبية، بل كانوا الأهداف الرئيسية للعنف والعديد من انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان الأخرى. وكثيراً ما تم الإبلاغ عن التعذيب والتجنيد القسري من قبل أولئك الذين تمكنوا من الفرار من المنطقة. أشارت التقارير الواردة من ولاية الجزيرة إلى أن قوات الدعم السريع استخدمت محاكم الأطفال كموقع للتجنيد من أجل تجنيد الأطفال في مدينة الحصاحيصا. وقد تم الإبلاغ في بعض الحالات عن قيام قرى وبلدات في الجزيرة بحمل السلاح في محاولة لحماية نفسها من قوات الدعم السريع، مما يزيد من عسكرة الوضع وتعريض المدنيين للخطر. وأبرمت قرى وبلدات أخرى صفقات مع قوات الدعم السريع، بعضها يتضمن تجنيد جنود من البلدة أو القرية مقابل الغذاء ومنع النهب والعنف على يد الدعم السريع. ونشرت قوات الدعم السريع نفسها عدة مقاطع فيديو تظهر المضايقات والترهيب والاعتداء على المدنيين، بما في ذلك كبار السن والأطفال. وقد حوصر العديد من كبار السن من النساء والأطفال والمرضى في القرى والبلدات، ولم يكن لديهم وسيلة للمغادرة.

استهدفت حملة العنف التي شنتها قوات الدعم السريع في ولاية الجزيرة البنية التحتية للدولة والممتلكات الخاصة، في حين شنت أيضاً حملات عدوانية ضد الشباب الذين كان يُنظر إليهم على أنهم أعداء محتملون. وأشارت التقارير إلى مقتل مجموعات من الشباب بالرصاص على طريق سنار في ود مدني أثناء محاولتهم مغادرة المدينة. وفي التاسع من يناير، قتلت قوات الدعم السريع بابكر أبو خليفة وأصابت مدنيين آخرين، فيما تم اختطاف عدد كبير من الشباب.

وفي الوقت نفسه، نهبت قوات الدعم السريع المنازل، والشركات، والمستشفيات، والمدارس، والمرافق الحكومية. وفي أعقاب هذا النهب، قامت قوات الدعم السريع في كثير من الأحيان بتدمير المباني نفسها — وقد لوحظ ذلك بشكل خاص بالنسبة للبنوك، وكذلك المؤسسات البحثية مثل مختبرات البحوث الزراعية، ومرافق تخزين الحبوب والصمغ العربي. وخرجت المستشفيات الخاصة والعامة، والمراكز الصحية، والصيدليات عن الخدمة، وتم نهب معظمها. وقد سُرقت مئات الآلاف من المركبات.

واستهدفت قوات الدعم السريع جامعة الجزيرة، حيث تم نهب مجمعات الجامعة وممتلكاتها وممتلكات الأساتذة. وشمل ذلك النهب الممنهج للمباني الإدارية للجامعة، بما في ذلك مواقع الشؤون الأكاديمية، وشؤون الطلاب، وجميع العمادات المعنية. كما تعرض بنك التوفير بالجامعة، وفروعه، ومزرعة الجامعة، والقاعة الدولية (الرازي) للسرقة. وفي اليوم الرابع والعشرين من شهر ديسمبر، بلَّغ مواطنون من قرية العيكورة عن حملة نهب واسعة النطاق، حيث فقدوا كل شيء بما في ذلك البضائع الموجودة في محلاتهم التجارية، ومركباتهم، ومدخراتهم.

وكان لانعدام الأمن الناتج عن ذلك ونقص المرافق تكاليف بشرية حقيقية، حيث اضطر السكان الضعفاء إلى المغادرة وسط كل هذه التهديدات. وكانت ولاية الجزيرة تستضيف مئات المدنيين من مجتمعات ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة، بما في ذلك الأطفال الأيتام، وكبار السن، وذوي الإعاقة. واضطر الأطفال الرضع من دار المايقوما إلى الإخلاء مرة أخرى ومغادرة ود مدني بولاية الجزيرة هذه المرة. وبحسب تقارير إعلامية في كسلا، توفي في الطريق عدد (6) أطفال، ومعظمهم كانوا يعانون بالفعل من تدهور صحي حاد، إضافة إلى إصابة العديد من الأطفال في دار الأيتام بمرض كواشيوركور (سوء تغذية حاد مرتبط بمظاهر المجاعة).

وقد صاحب دخول قوات الدعم السريع ولاية الجزيرة أنماطًا من العنف الجماعي والممنهج ضد المدنيين. في الثامن عشر من ديسمبر، في تمام الساعة الثانية بعد الظهر، أكدت التقارير مقتل اثنين من الطاقم الطبي في مستشفى مدينة رفاعة بعد اجتياح قوات الدعم السريع للمدينة. ومن بين القتيلين الدكتور محمد يوسف الحمري. وفي الثالث والعشرين من ديسمبر، أكد شهود عيان أن قوات الدعم السريع قتلت ثمانية أشخاص من قرية أم دقرسي بولاية الجزيرة عندما اعترضوا على نهب السيارات من داخل القرية. وفي يوم الخميس الحادي والعشرين من ديسمبر، قتلت قوات الدعم السريع عبد المتعال فضل، الخبير الاقتصادي والأستاذ بجامعة الجزيرة، بمنزله بمنطقة بانت. وفي اليوم السادس والعشرين من شهر ديسمبر قُتلت أسماء عوض السيد، وهي معلمة تعيش في منطقة بانت، على يد قوات الدعم السريع داخل منزلها. وبحسب المصدر فإن القتل وقع عندما كانت قوات الدعم السريع تنهب منزلها. فضلاً عن ذلك، في الحادي والعشرين من شهر ديسمبر، أفادت إحدى شريكات شبكة صيحة أنه تم العثور على جثة امرأة على الطريق أمام منزلهم في حي بانت في مدينة ود مدني.

وفي الخامس من شهر يناير، ووفقاً لما ذكرته رفاعة نيوز، قُتل لؤي عوض الفادني، صبي يبلغ من العمر 16 عاماً برصاص جنود الدعم السريع في بلدة رفاعة بسبب اعتراضه على دخول الجنود منزله. وفي يوم السبت التاسع والعشرين من شهر ديسمبر قُتل الدكتور أحمد الصديق أحمد العباس البخيت على يد قوات الدعم السريع بعد أن أُجبر على النزول من شاحنة كانت متجهة إلى خارج الجزيرة. وفي الأول من شهر يناير، قُتل ثلاثة مواطنين برصاص قوات الدعم السريع داخل المسجد بمنطقة المدينة عرب الواقعة غرب ود مدني أثناء أدائهم صلاة العصر. كما عُثِر على سبع جثث أخرى لضحايا مدنيين آخرين بالقرب من سوق المنطقة.

وبالإضافة إلى حالات القتل الموثقة، وثقنا أيضاً ثلاث حالات لسيدات اختفين من منطقة الجزيرة منذ اليوم الخامس عشر من شهر ديسمبر، والسيدات هن: خديجة يوسف سعيد من محلية الكاملين قرية عباس؛ وسمية فضل من مدني أبو حراز؛ وتاركة السيئة من ود مدني الحي السوداني.

كما واجه المدنيون مخاطراً بسبب النشاط المستمر للقوات المسلحة السودانية في المنطقة، وبينما انسحبت القوات المسلحة من ود مدني وجزء كبير من الجزيرة، وتنازلت فعلياً عن المنطقة لقوات الدعم السريع، فقد شنت حملات قصف جوي عرضت أيضاً المدنيين للخطر. وفي الخامس من شهر يناير، شنت القوات المسلحة السودانية عمليات قصف جوي على ود مدني بحسب لجنة مقاومة ود مدني. وأشارت اللجنة أيضاً إلى أنه على الرغم من وجود تقارير عن إصابات بين المدنيين، إلا أنه كان من الصعب الوصول إلى المواقع المتضررة بسبب الوضع الأمني الخطير في المدينة نتيجة لاحتلال قوات الدعم السريع للمنطقة. وفي العاشر من يناير قامت القوات المسلحة السودانية بقصف جوي على بلدة الحاج عبد الله جنوب الجزيرة مما أسفر عن مقتل عشرة مدنيين.

العنف الجنسي

أدى تواجد قوات الدعم السريع في ولاية الجزيرة ومدينة ود مدني ابتداءً من شهر ديسمبر إلى تعرض الكثير من النساء والفتيات للعنف الجنسي. في حين أن التقارير الواردة من الجزيرة لا تزال محدودة بسبب ضعف شبكات الاتصالات هناك وانتشار الخوف الناتج عن الفظائع الجماعية التي ترتكبها قوات الدعم السريع في المنطقة، فقد ارتكبت قوات الدعم السريع جرائم الاغتصاب واعتدت أيضاً على الأفراد وقامت بتنفيذ أعمال النهب.

بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تلقينا عدداً من التقارير الأخرى عن العنف الجنسي في ولاية الجزيرة خلال الشهر الماضي. في التاسع عشر من شهر ديسمبر، أفادت غرفة طوارئ منطقة الحصاحيصا أنها استقبلت عدد (6) نساء تعرضن لاعتداءات جنسية في مدينة رفاعة من قبل قوات الدعم السريع، كما أكد طبيب في المنطقة أنه قام بفحص ست نساء تعرضن لاعتداءات جنسية في المنطقة. في نفس اليوم، تلقينا بلاغاً من عائلة من ود مدني بمنطقة الزمالك تم مداهمة منزلهم والاعتداء على شابتين (19) و(24) سنة، عندها قام الأب ومعه الأخ الصبي البالغ من العمر 12 عاماً بالمقاومة فقُتل كلاهما، واغتصبت الشابتان، وقد تمكنت الأم وابنتاها من الفرار إلى شمال السودان.

في العشرين من ديسمبر تلقينا تقاريرًا تفيد بالعثور على شابة تبلغ من العمر (19) عاماً في منطقة ود أزرق وقيل أنها تعرضت للاغتصاب من قبل قوات الدعم السريع، وتم نقلها للبقاء بمنزل أحد الأسر التي لا تزال متواجدةً بالمدينة.

وفي الحادي والعشرين من شهر ديسمبر، أكدت مصادر أن قوات الدعم السريع قامت بسرقة منزل المواطنة نهلة محمد عثمان بحي المطار بمدينة ود مدني، أثناء تواجدها هي ووالدتها الحاجة زينب بالمنزل. وبعد عملية السطو، عادت قوات ا لدعم السريع إلى المنزل وحاولت اغتصاب نهلة. استخدمت نهلة مطرقة لمحاولة صد جنود الدعم السريع، وعندها أطلقت قوات الدعم السريع النار على نهلة ووالدتها، مما أدى إلى مقتل نهلة وإصابة والدتها بجروح خطيرة. تم دفن نهلة التي كانت حاملاً في شهرها الثالث وقت وفاتها أمام منزلها مثل العديد من السودانيين الآخرين الذين قتلتهم قوات الدعم السريع نتيجة لهذه الحرب المستمرة.

وفي الثاني والعشرين من ديسمبر، قال طبيب بمدينة ود مدني أنه يجد صعوباتٍ في الاستجابة لنداءات النساء والفتيات اللاتي أبلغن عن تعرضهن للاغتصاب بمنطقة مارينجان جنوب شرق ود مدني بسبب الوضع الأمني وعرقلة قوات الدعم السريع للحركة. وفي اليوم نفسه، أكدت التقارير الواردة من غرفة طوارئ كسلا وصول امرأة من الخرطوم كانت قد نزحت إلى ود مدني وتعرضت للاغتصاب قبل نزوحها إلى كسلا، كما أنها لم تتلق أي دعم طبي.

وفي الرابع والعشرين ديسمبر وردت أنباء عن تعرض سبع نساء للاغتصاب في منطقة ود مدني الصناعية ولكن لم يتم التواصل مع الناجيات. وفي اليوم نفسه، وصلت امرأة تبلغ من العمر (22) عاماً إلى إحدى غرف الطوارئ في الخرطوم وأبلغت عن تعرضها للاغتصاب في ود مدني.

وفي السادس والعشرين ديسمبر، تلقينا تقاريرًا عن تعرض ثلاث نساء للاغتصاب في حي الدرجة في ود مدني أثناء محاولتهن المغادرة، إلا أن جهود التواصل معهن لدعم فرارهن لم تنجح، وانقطع الاتصال بهن. وخلال نفس اليوم السادس والعشرين من ديسمبر، تلقت شبكة صيحة بلاغاً عن امرأة تعرضت للاغتصاب وتمكنا من مساعدة الناجية في الحصول على الدعم الطبي.

وبتاريخ السابع والعشرين من ديسمبر وثقنا عدد (3) حالات عنف جنسي. ووقعت هذه الجرائم على الطريق المؤدي إلى الخرطوم أثناء محاولات النساء الفرار من ود مدني. وفي العاشر من يناير، أبلغت شابة لاجئة عن تعرضها للاغتصاب من قبل قوات الدعم السريع بجوار مدرسة معهد البحوث الزراعية في ود مدني.

التوصيات

نؤكد على التوصيات التي تمت مشاركتها من قبل عدد من منظمات ومجموعات المجتمع المدني السوداني في الرابع والعشرين من ديسمبر من العام (2023) للجهات الفاعلة السودانية والدولية وأصدقاء السودان:

  • التنفيذ الفوري لإطار متكامل لحماية المدنيين يستجيب ويتضمن احتياجات النساء والفتيات ويضمن الوصول دون عوائق إلى المساعدات الإنسانية مع الالتزام بدور المجتمع المدني المحلي الملم بمصالح المتأثرين بهذه الحملة الجماعية من الفظائع والعنف في السودان. وينبغي أن تكون هنالك عواقب واضحة في حالة انتهاك هذا الإطار.
  • ينبغي أن يتضمن إطار حماية المدنيين الوقف الفوري للأعمال العدائية، والإشراف على تنفيذ ذلك برقابة دولية على الأرض، فضلاً عن إنشاء مناطق آمنة للمدنيين. وينبغي أن يتم ذلك بالتزامن مع عملية سياسية واسعة النطاق وشاملة بقيادة مدنية يتحقق فيها للنساء أدوار قيادية وفعالة.
  • إنشاء محكمة جنائية دولية (على غرار المحكمة المنشأة للنظر في جرائم الإبادة الجماعية في رواندا) للنظر في جرائم الحرب والجرائم ضد الإنسانية التي ارتكبت خلال الحرب في السودان. ولهذه المحكمة أهمية بالغة في بناء آليات المحاسبية والتي ينبغي أن تضمن في العمليات السياسية المستقبلية لتجنب إعادة تدوير العنف.
  • الضغط على قوات الدعم السريع وحلفائها لوقف القتل وتدمير البنية التحتية في السودان. كما يجب الضغط على القوات المسلحة السودانية للجلوس إلى طاولة المفاوضات من خلال عملية سياسية جادة وقابلة للاستمرار بمشاركة قوى المجتمع المدني السوداني بما في ذلك النساء والشباب على أن تضمن تلك العملية بشكل واضح عدم مشاركة قوات الدعم السريع والقوات المسلحة السودانية في أي من هياكل الحكم في السودان.
  • تعزيز دعم المساعدات الإنسانية الكافية للمدنيين المتضررين من النزاع من خلال توفير الموارد والبرامج لدعم مجتمعات النازحين داخلياً واللاجئين وسبل عيشهم ورفاههم الاجتماعي، إلى جانب خدمات الصحة العقلية والدعم النفسي والاجتماعي.
  • تنفيذ مهمة لجنة تقصي الحقائق من قبل مجلس حقوق الإنسان التابع للأمم المتحدة. كما يجب تعزيز هذه اللجنة ودعمها من خلال تشكيل بعثة لتقصي الحقائق في السودان من قبل مجلس الأمن للتحقيق في الانتهاكات والتجاوزات على قرارات مجلس الأمن حول دارفور وعموم السودان. وعلى وجه التحديد للتحقيق في جرائم العنف الجنسي التي تم ارتكابها في مختلف مناطق السودان.
  • وقف التدفقات المالية غير المشروعة والاقتصادات السياسية التي تثري الجهات المسؤولة عن العنف وتتسبب في استمرار العنف في السودان.
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Ayan Mohamed Djama

Legal and Social Consultant

Ayan Mohamed Djama is a Legal and Social Consultant with strong expertise in judicial, port, and associative matters, and solid experience in designing, managing, and evaluating high-impact social, legal, and educational programmes. Internationally trained in Senegal, Kenya, France, and the United States, she supports NGOs, institutions, and private sector actors while leading community initiatives focused on the training, empowerment, and leadership of young women, girls, and youth to foster more just, inclusive, and resilient societies.

Bibiana Joseph Awad

SOUTH SUDAN PROJECTS OFFICER

Bibiana Joseph Awad holds a Master’s degree in Education in Emergency from the University of Juba. She is an activist and the Projects Officer at the SIHA Network in South Sudan, where she oversees critical initiatives focused on supporting survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). Bibiana manages the One Stop Centre at Wau Teaching Hospital, a facility that provides comprehensive services to GBV survivors, including medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. She works closely with local communities, healthcare providers, legal institutions, and women’s coalitions to address the urgent challenges of GBV in South Sudan.

Through the One Stop Centre, Bibiana has strengthened the capacity of service providers and protection groups while advocating for the rights of women and girls affected by violence. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, listening to music, and engaging on social media.

Jackie Bless Pinyoloya

UGANDA PROJECT OFFICER

Jackie Bless Pinyoloya is the Project Officer at SIHA Network in Uganda; where she passionately champions feminist principles and gender justice. With a solid foundation in gender issues, advocacy, and economic empowerment for women, Jackie brings a wealth of expertise, particularly in the informal sector.

Currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Gender Studies at Makerere University School of Women and Gender Studies, Jackie is committed to advancing her knowledge and understanding of gender dynamics. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Social Sciences with a major in Gender Studies from Makerere University Kampala, reflecting her dedication to exploring and addressing social inequalities.

In her role, Jackie combines her academic background with practical experience, contributing significantly to the organization’s mission of promoting gender equality and empowerment. Her dedication to feminist principles is evident in her work towards creating positive change in the lives of women in Arua and beyond.

Adla Abubker

SUDAN PROTECTION & EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATOR

Adla Abubker is a women’s rights activist from Sudan with more than 15 years’ experience of working toward gender equality in Sudan. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development from Ahfad University for Women in Sudan. Her areas of expertise include working with grassroots communities, women’s economic empowerment, gender activism and negotiating with men to change inequitable attitudes.

Currently, Ms Abubker a Program Officer with SIHA in Sudan, where she oversees SIHA’s work on building women movement, and women in Islam, reforming gender-discriminatory legislation, and engaging youth on issues of gender, religion, and race. She believes that the link between religion and law is in dire need of reform, and that discriminatory interpretations of Islam are a root cause of violence against women in Sudan.

Neimat Abas

SUDAN COUNTRY COORDINATOR

Neimat Abas brings over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Juba University and a master’s degree in Gender and Governance from Ahfad University for Women in Sudan, where her research focused on women’s political participation at the local level. Neimat is currently the Coordinator for the SIHA Network in Sudan.

Before joining SIHA Network, Neimat worked with the Arab Association for Constitutional Law in Tunisia, Oxfam America in Sudan, and Women for Women International in Washington, DC. She has played a key role in the development, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of high-quality women’s empowerment programs in eight conflict-affected countries.

Neimat has also been actively involved in the leadership of the Students Association and various political and civil society organizations for several years. As a result, she has developed strong skills in working with university students to organize political campaigns, raise public awareness about civil rights, and build democratic organizations and institutions.

Yousef Ahmed Abdi (Timacade)

SOMALI REGION PROGRAMME COORDINATOR

Yousef Ahmed Abdi (Timacade) is a Lawyer and Legal Analyst holding a Master’s Degree in Law and Executive Management. Over the past decade, he has consistently demonstrated dedication through his work with national and international non-governmental organizations, focusing on critical areas such as human rights, program management, and research within Somalia and Somaliland.

Currently serving as the Somali Region Programme Coordinator for the SIHA Network, Yousef embodies not only legal prowess but also a deep commitment to women’s human rights advocacy. He is also known for his prolific blogging and commentary, dedicated to raising awareness about human rights issues. His unwavering dedication to gender equality propels him into the role of advocate for marginalized communities, striving to amplify their voices and effect transformative change. Yousef specializes in championing egalitarian ideals and advancing progressive reforms in the Somali region, with a particular emphasis on achieving gender parity.

Yousef is a valued member of the editorial board of the Women in Islam journal. His numerous writings delve into the intricacies of human rights, particularly those affecting Muslim women.

Zemdena Abebe

ETHIOPIA PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Zemdena Abebe is the founder of Afri-colors, a social-enterprise startup, curating made-in-Africa products, crafted by women. As a Pan-Africanist -womanist- she refuses to be erased and amplifies the voices of women through her research, writing, multimedia -storytelling, organizing, and activism: disrupting intersecting oppressive systems. Her social justice advocacy work started in high school; Chaired Addis Ababa Girls’ Forum– which facilitated discussions amongst girls laying the foundation for legislative intervention against sexual abuse in Ethiopia. As the first women president of Addis Ababa University Students’ Union: she reaffirmed the need and organized various youth-led movements despite the hostile university context. One of the 22 young African women selected as part of the writing for social change workshop organized by AWDF and FEMRITE in Kampala, Uganda. An alumnus of the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship.

Amongst her multilayered affiliations, she sits on the advisory council of ActionAid Ethiopia. Previously, she worked with UNICEF Ethiopia and consulted many other local and international organizations such as the EU, FEMNET.HBF, FHS, TRUST AFRICA, etc. Volunteered for the African Union (African Academy of languages in Bamako, Mali: as a research and Marketing Assistant. Zemdena is a graduate of Political Science & International Relations, who often likes to dance her way to freedom. Asserting the notion that African women, girls & non-binary folks have the right to a life free of heteronormative -capitalist -anti-black -patriarchal terror based on their overlapping otherness: her work reaffirms that human progress is achieved through imagining a better world through the realization of a transnational strong justice-centered human kinship. Zemdena’s writings of resistance can be found on Pambazuka, Africa is a Country, HBF, African Feminism et al

Ramatoulie Isatou Jallow

REGIONAL ADVOCACY & RESEARCH OFFICER

Ramatoulie Isatou Jallow (L.L.M Graduate in National Security Law, Georgetown, 2023 and in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa University of Pretoria, Centre for Human Rights, 2021) is a peace practitioner and attorney from Botswana and the Gambia, specializing in human rights, democratization, national security, conflict prevention and women, peace and security. In her previous professional experiences, she worked for the African Union, the United States Institute for Peace, and the Georgetown Center for National Security. Immediately before joining SIHA Network, Ramatoulie was also the Mary Frances Berry Senior Fellow at the Center for Ethics and Rule of Law, affiliated with the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Here she led research on the military coups in the Sahel and West African region, civic education in the military and indefinite detention.

Her publications include Covid- 19 and Intrastate Armed Conflicts in Africa, Beyond the Outbreak: Creating a Sustainable Peace Culture in Botswana and Intergenerational Peacebuilding Among Women: Leveraging the Power of Collaboration, which she co-authored.

Outside of work, Ramatoulie is an avid reader, lover of poetry, culture, art and music.

Martin Maate Bwambale

REGIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER

Martin Maate Bwambale is the Regional Human Resource Officer at SIHA Network, with over 8 years of progressive HR experience in both the private and not-for-profit sectors across the Greater Horn of Africa. As a member of the Human Resource Managers Association of Uganda, Martin is passionate about creating human capital-centric environments that foster a positive employee experience and contribute to the achievement of organizational goals. He is dedicated to helping individuals unlock their potential and become better versions of themselves by implementing sound HR practices and policies.

One of Martin’s key accomplishments includes serving as the Chairperson of the HR COVID-19 SOP Taskforce Committee, which was established by the Uganda INGO Country Directors Forum. He played a vital role in drafting standard operating procedures for workplace COVID-19 prevention, response, and control, as well as work-from-home policies, which were adopted in 2022.

Martin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Production and Operations from Bugema University and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management at Cavendish University.

Outside of his professional life, Martin enjoys playing soccer with C Club, a corporate soccer team in Kampala, Uganda, for health, leisure, and networking. He is also passionate about singing and traveling.

REGIONAL SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER

REGIONAL SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER

Sauda Kayaga is SIHA Network’s Regional Senior Finance Officer. A trained Statistician, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University. Sauda has 2 years of experience in statistical research and analysis, 3 years in cashiering and banking, and over 5 years in project financial management. She has a strong aptitude for working with complex financial modelling and analysis and a deep understanding of financial systems and procedures. Sauda is highly passionate about her work and brings a keen attention to detail and expertise to every aspect of her role.

Justine Namuyanja

REGIONAL PROCUREMENT & COMPLIANCE OFFICER

Justine Namuyanja is the Procurement & Compliance Officer at SIHA Network, bringing over a decade of experience to the organization. Throughout her career at SIHA, she has made significant contributions to the finance, procurement, administration, human resources, and compliance sectors. Justine has consistently demonstrated her ability to manage procurement processes efficiently while ensuring compliance with both internal and external standards. Her expertise also includes optimizing operational workflows and improving the transparency and efficiency of financial systems, all of which are essential to the success of SIHA’s work. Justine’s role is also critical in upholding the integrity and accountability of SIHA’s operations.

Sandra Nassali

REGIONAL ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Sandra is an accomplished communication professional passionate about building knowledge and conducting strategic advocacy initiatives that advance the rights of women and girls.

In addition to feminist activism works, she has, in the last 15 years, pursued her career ambitions in areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, agriculture and food security, social enterprise development, public health, as well as ICT for Development.

Sandra holds a Master of Arts in Development Journalism and Communication (Strategic & Corporate Communication Management major), plus a Bachelor of Mass Communication (Public Relations & Marketing major) from Makerere University in Kampala Uganda.

Furthermore, she holds a Post Graduate Diploma in ICT for Development and Social Good from the Spanish Telecentres and ICT Spaces Academy in Spain.

Twitter: @SandraNassali

Shinaz Rehema Ali-Zaids

REGIONAL GRANTS AND CAPACITY BUILDING COORDINATOR

Shinaz Rehema Ali-Zaids (She/Her) is a passionate and dedicated advocate for social justice. Her professional journey has focused on women’s rights, marginalized communities, natural resource governance, and climate change. With over a decade of experience in the women’s funding sector, she has offered strategic guidance to international organizations on community-driven, participatory grantmaking.

Deeply committed to her local Nubian community, Shinaz actively engages in local initiatives and serves on various boards to amplify the voices of marginalized groups. Her work addressing human rights gaps at the grassroots level has shaped her passion for strengthening social systems that protect the rights of vulnerable populations. A strong advocate for wellness, Shinaz prioritizes self-care and collective care within teams, recognizing that sustainable social change is rooted in both individual and collective well-being.

Throughout her career, Shinaz has collaborated closely with women to develop long-term, sustainable solutions to their most pressing needs. Her expertise in movement building has been key to expanding programs across diverse regions of Africa. In her current role as the Regional Grants and Capacity Building Coordinator, she supports SIHA Network’s country teams in executing impactful work and scaling their initiatives. Shinaz also provides critical support to women and communities in conflict and post-conflict settings, ensuring their safety, security, and ongoing activism in advancing women’s rights.

Mercy Apiyo Owuor

REGIONAL COORDINATOR: MONITORING, EVALUATION & LEARNING

Mercy is a Public Health Professional with a keen interest in gender equality, equity, and social inclusion. She has over 15 years of experience in programme design and management, as well as monitoring, learning, and evaluation.

This is expertise Mercy has gathered by managing and coordinating multiple projects while working with government entities and civil society organisations at the grassroots, national, and international levels.

Mercy holds a Master of Community Health and Development from the Great Lakes University of Kisumu, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Moi University in Eldoret Kenya.

Twitter: @MercyOwuor2

Mayada Eltayeb

HEAD OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Mayada Eltayeb is the Head of Finance and Administration at SIHA Network. She joined the organization in 2008 with over a decade of experience in finance and organizational management, leading SIHA’s strategic financial planning and resource management. Born in Sudan and raised in the United Arab Emirates, Mayada earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Ahfad University in Sudan in 2005.

Before joining SIHA, she had gained extensive experience working with various audit and accounting firms, refining her skills in financial analysis and reporting. Under her leadership, SIHA’s Finance and Administration division has strengthened financial processes and policies, ensuring compliance, transparency, and the effective allocation of resources. Mayada’s efforts have been pivotal in supporting the organization’s sustainability and operational excellence. She has also completed several specialized training courses in NGO financial management in Uganda and South Africa, further enhancing her expertise and leadership capabilities.

Faizat Badmus-Busari

REGIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGER

Faizat Badmus-Busari is the Regional Programme Manager at SIHA Network. With a strong background in program management and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree from Emory University School of Law, she expertly navigates the crossroads of gender, law, religion, and social justice, serving marginalized communities, especially women and girls.

Before SIHA, Faizat held significant positions in international organizations like The Carter Center and various United Nations agencies. There, she managed projects ranging from grassroots efforts to global initiatives, focusing on gender equity, social inclusion, democracy, and human rights. At SIHA, she oversees the network’s regional programs, ensuring the mission and vision are effectively carried out across the Horn of Africa. Faizat brings her extensive gender-transformative, legal, and program management expertise to the role. Guided by a belief in collective action and intersectional feminism, Faizat collaborates with organizations and partners to promote women’s rights, peacebuilding, and social justice in the region.

Hala Al-Karib

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Hala Al karib was born and raised in Sudan and later lived in Canada. She currently lives and works in Uganda. She has lived and worked in South Sudan, Kenya and Egypt as well the Eastern and Horn of Africa for over 20 years. Hala’s work specifically focuses on women and girls rights activism and social movement as well as refugees and displaced persons and minority community’s challenges. She has wide and comprehensive expertise on the Horn and Eastern Africa regions, as a civil society worker/activist, and social and gender research practitioner. Her educational background is on Human rights, women studies and Psychology. In addition to her work as the Regional Director of SIHA Network, she worked for various international and regional organizations/institutions among them; The College of Social & Economic Studies, Juba University in South Sudan where she worked as a Research Assistant; The sociology department at the American University in Cairo as an Assistant Researcher; Immigrant Women of Saskatchewan Inc. in Canada as the Program Director; Trocaire, an Irish Organization as Grant Officer based in Sudan. She has also worked as a consultant with various international and UN Humanitarian organizations, including; Goal Ireland, World University Services, Accord International and Concern International.

She is a regular contributor to many online and print media outlets. Her writing is focused on activism, women’s rights and social justice. Some of her recent articles are published in: Aljazeera, Open Democracy, Sudan Tribune The Pambazuka, the New Humanitarian and the East African Newspaper. She is the Editorial head of SIHA Journal – Women in Islam in the Horn of Africa (Arabic & English).

Twitter: @Halayalkarib

Kadra Omar

Kadra is a Social Worker from Djibouti currently working with the Ministry of the Promotion of Women & Family Welfare & Social Affairs- Djibouti. She is also a member of the Djiboutian Women’s Union. Kadra currently serves on the Program Advisory.

Dr. Lyn Ossome

Dr. Lyn Ossome is the Director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Makerere University. She received her PhD in Political Studies from Wits University. Her specializations and taught courses are in the fields of feminist political economy and feminist political theory, with particular research interests in land and agrarian studies, gendered labour, queer feminist histories and the political economy of gendered violence. She currently serves on the Program Advisory

Aluel Atem

Aluel Atem is a seasoned development economist, blogger, and African Feminist Activist hailing from South Sudan. With over eight years of dedicated experience, her primary focus has been on gender and conflict transformation. Currently serving as a Senior Program Officer at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Aluel holds the role of USIP’s In-country (Kenya) lead for the Border Security Training Program (BSTP). In addition to her role at USIP, Aluel is a co-founder of two women’s rights initiatives: Ma’ Mara Sakit Village and Crown the Woman-South Sudan, both based in South Sudan.

Rose Baryamutuma

Rose is a programme monitoring and evaluation expert with over 15 years of experience providing specialized services for program design, organization capacity assessments, facilitating training and M&E. She has also provided technical support to institutions to develop and cost strategic plans. Rose has broad research experience/evaluation in the areas of HIV and AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive Health. As GBV Focal Person she provides technical support to the GBV National TWG on general program and M&E specifically.

Kimberley Armstrong

Kimberley Armstrong holds a PhD in Anthropology from McGill University in Canada. Her research focused on transitional justice, conflict, and displacement in Northern Uganda, with previous studies on rural-to-urban migration of women in Senegal. She is currently working with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as the Manager of Program Evaluation and Reporting. Prior to joining the Ministry, she served as SIHA Network’s Regional Programmes Manager for over six years.

Jemimah Naburri-Kaheru

Currently serving as the Association for Women’s Rights in Development [AWID]’s Deputy Director of Human Resources, is an accomplished international Human Rights [HR] strategist with a significant experience in the Horn of Africa region. With a background in Development Studies from Makerere University (Uganda) and an ongoing MBA in Human Resource Management, Jemimah is dedicated to continuous professional development. Her contributions to building high-performance workforces and her leadership in international HR make her an invaluable asset to any global enterprise. Additionally, Jemimah serves as the Program Advisor, supporting with operations at SIHA Network.

Abdifatah Hassan Ali

Abdifatah is a Somali human rights defender with extensive experience in advocacy within the civil society arena. He is the Founder of the Digital Shelter – a local initiative founded in March 2018 by activists who are passionate about the intersection between technology and human rights in Somalia with the aim of promoting digital safety, digital rights and inclusion and internet freedom in the growing digital civic space of Somalia. He holds a Masters Degree in Human rights. Currently works for the UN as a Human rights officer in Somalia

Guleid Ahmed Jama

​Guleid is an active human rights defender and an Attorney at law the Xaqdoon Law Firm​, based​ in Somaliland. He is the ​C​o-founder and former ​C​hairperson of Human Rights Center (HRC), a human rights advocacy organization ​also based in Somaliland. ​​Guleid currently serv​es​ as a Program Advisor.

Asmahan Hassen

Ms. Asmahan is one of the founders of SIHA, currently serving as Advisor to the SIHA Board. She is currently Chairperson of Nagaad Network in Somaliland. She has also served as Chairperson of the Somaliland Women’s Research and Action Group (SOWRAG). Asmahan is actively involved in the Somaliland women rights arena as a women human rights defender. Her tenure spans 23 years. She is a graduate of Arts and Humanities from the University of Khartoum.

Peace Twine Kyamureku

Peace Twine Kyamureku is the Executive Director of the Ruth Fund Uganda. She is a secondary school teacher by profession, holding a Master of Arts Degree from Makerere University and has trained in Gender, Human Rights and Civil Society Studies. She currently serves on the Advisory to the SIHA Board.

Saba Gebremedhin

Saba is currently the Executive Director of the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), a member organization of SIHA Network. Saba is a Lawyer in the Ethiopian Courts of Law by training and profession having served as a Special Prosecutor. She is also one of the founders of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA). In her tenure, she has served as a Consultant at the IGAD Gender Unit and the African Union Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD).

Kaltun Hassan

Ms. Kaltun is a Gender Expert and Women Rights Activist from Somaliland. She has served in a number of positions within civil society organizations advocating for, and working in women’s rights, gender equality, and peace-building. She serves on the Board of Directors of Women Advocacy and Progress organization (WAAPO). Kaltun was recently re-elected as the only woman on the Somaliland Electoral Commission.

Fadwo Hassan

Fadwo Hassan Jimale is a Somali woman rights activist with experience spanning 10 years in gender-mainstreaming and social protection of women and children in Somalia. I have Ten (10) years’ experience in excellence of general protection and development of gender mainstreaming. Her experience in GBV survivor work in Somalia has necessitated her participation in women’s movement-building work particularly with the women and Child Cluster in Somalia. Fadwo has represented SIHA in a number of national and regional spaces contributing to SIHA’s mandate of advocating for the acknowledgment of women rights in view of the lived realities of women and girls in the region.

Rigbe Gebrehewariat Hagos

Rigbe is a passionate women rights activist from Ethiopia, trained as a Lawyer and Social Worker, who has dedicated her career to advocating for people with disabilities, especially women. She works to spread awareness about people with disabilities and what they are able to achieve. She is the Co-founder and treasurer of Ethiopian Lawyers with Disabilities Association (ELDA), Co-founder and board chair of Setawit and a member of the United Nations Women Civil Society Advisory Group She is also a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow. Rigbe sits on the Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) – a member of SIHA Network. She currently serves on the SIHA Board of Directors.

Zabib Loro Musa

Zabib Loro Musa is the Executive Director of Women for Justice and Equality (WOJE), a feminist advocacy organization dedicated to advancing and advocating for the rights of women in marginalized communities across South Sudan. At WOJE, she leads the organization’s efforts to implement the Women’s Peace and Security agenda in grassroots communities throughout South Sudan.

Keltun Qasim

Kaltun Qasim is the Director of Women’s Human Rights Education and Environment in Somaliland. Her organization works in different rural and urban centres in Somaliland and has been a member of SIHA for more than 10 years.

Lillian Byarugaba Adriko

Lilian Byarugaba Adriko is the CEO of FIDA-Uganda and is a very well known woman advocate and rights defender in the country playing a significant role in improving the status of women by promoting their socio-economic rights and justice and advancing gender equality within Uganda.

Omayma Elmardi

Ms. Omayma Amin Elmardi is the Director at the National Sudanese Women Association (NSWA) a member organisation of SIHA Network. She holds a Bachelors of Science from Cairo University – Khartoum branch, a Post-graduate Diploma in Development Studies and a Master of Science in Development Planning from the Development Studies and Research Institute (DSRI) University of Khartoum. Omayma currently serves as the Chairperson of the SIHA Board of Directors.