MANSAM or Women of Sudanese Civic and Political Groups (also: ''Sudan's Women, Political and Civil Groups'') is an alliance of eight political women's groups, 18 civil society organisations, two youth groups and individuals in

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

that was active in the

Sudanese Revolution The Sudanese Revolution was a major shift of political power in Sudan that started with street protests throughout Sudan on 19 December 2018 and continued with sustained civil disobedience for about eight months, during which the 2019 Sudane ...

Sudanese Revolution

MANSAM was one of the signers of the 1 January declaration that created the

Forces of Freedom and Change The Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC, also ''Alliance for Freedom and Change'', or AFC, and ''Declaration of Freedom and Change'', or DFC; ar, قوى إعلان الحرية والتغيير) is a wide political coalition of civilian and rebel ...

(FFC), the main broad alliance of organisations, networks and political parties that played a dominating coordinating role in the

starting in December 2018. On 2 July 2019, during negotiations between the Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the FFC on behalf of civilian groups, MANSAM stated that women had been excluded from the negotiations, despite women's prominent role in the protests and MANSAM being a member of the FFC. According to

Alaa Salah ''Kandake of the Sudanese Revolution'' (also known as ''Woman in White'' and ''Lady Liberty of the Sudanese Revolution'') is a photograph of Alaa Salah, a 22-year-old student, standing on top of a car, dressed in white and gold, and leading a c ...

speaking as a member of MANSAM at the 8649th meeting of the

United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the Organs of the United Nations, six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international security, international peace and security, recommending the admi ...

(UNSC), on 29 October 2019, after "strong advocacy by women's groups", one woman participated in the negotiations. On 16 August 2019, MANSAM objected to the "poor representation of women" in proposed memberships of the Sovereignty Council and the transitionary

cabinet of ministers A cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders. Members of a cabinet are usually called cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countries ...

, and called for "a minimum of 50% women in leadership roles in government". MANSAM stated that it had provided the FFC leadership with "high alibrenominations, in collaboration with the relevant professional associations, only to be faced with a final list that does not include any of our nominations, without further discussion or consultation." MANSAM called women's organisations, women politicians and allies to "raise their voice" in supporting equal representation for women.

Alaa Salah's speech at UNSC

As a member of MANSAM, which is one of the major Sudanese women's networks that signed the 1 January 2019

declaration,

gave a speech at the 29 October 2019 meeting of the

(UNSC). Salah stated that despite women often having constituted 70% of protestors, they were "side-lined in the formal political process" of creating transitional institutions. She stated that women's representation in the new governance structure " ellfar below

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...

demand of 50% parity". She argued that "there is no excuse for

omen An omen (also called ''portent'') is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. It was commonly believed in ancient times, and still believed by some today, that omens bring divine messages fr ...

not to have an equal seat at every single table". She summarised her argument for women's representation stating, Salah also called for judicial accountability and disarmament; and for the political process to be inclusive of women, "civil society, resistance groups, ethnic and religious minorities, those who have been displaced, and people with disabilities to lead to sustainable peace".

References

Feminist organisations in Sudan

MANSAM MANSAM or Women of Sudanese Civic and Political Groups (also: ''Sudan's Women, Political and Civil Groups'') is an alliance of eight political women's groups, 18 civil society organisations, two youth groups and individuals in Sudan that was act ...

Sudanese democracy movements {{Sudan-stub

Sudanese Revolution

Alaa Salah's speech at UNSC

See also

References