Breaking the silence: women's resistance and the fight for justice in Sudan's conflicts

This thesis examines the multifaceted role of Sudanese women in contexts of armed conflict and peacebuilding, with particular attention to their political agency, experiences of gender-based violence, and participation in both formal and informal peace processes. Situating the analysis within the historical and political evolution of the Sudanese conflict, the study adopts a women’s human rights perspective to investigate how gender has shaped patterns of violence, displacement, resistance, and exclusion throughout Sudan’s prolonged crises. Through an extensive review of academic literature, institutional reports, and feminist scholarship, the thesis explores Sudanese women’s positioning both as disproportionately affected victims of sexual and gender-based violence and forced migration, and as active political agents who have contributed to resistance movements, civic mobilization, and peace efforts. Particular attention is paid to women’s participation in formal political and peace processes, including feminist movements, emblematic figures of the sudanese resistance, and women’s representation in negotiations related to the Juba Peace Agreement and transitional governance. Despite their sustained engagement, the analysis highlights persistent institutional and structural barriers that have systematically marginalized women from formal decision-making spaces. Building on this, the thesis shifts focus to women’s informal peacebuilding and grassroots resistance, emphasizing local activism, humanitarian leadership, and personal testimonies of survival and resilience. These narratives illustrate how Sudanese women have developed alternative forms of agency in contexts where formal inclusion has been denied, including extreme and non-normative responses to wartime sexual violence. The study further examines the cultural and structural constraints that shape women’s grassroots participation. Finally, the thesis critically assesses the role of the international community, with a focus on United Nations Security Council resolutions, peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions in Sudan, and the implementation gaps within the Women, Peace and Security agenda. By contrasting international normative frameworks with lived realities on the ground, the research exposes the limitations of institutional responses in adequately protecting and empowering Sudanese women. Methodologically, the thesis integrates qualitative interviews with young Sudanese women who fled the country following the outbreak of renewed conflict in April 2023, amplifying marginalized voices and grounding the analysis in first-hand experiences. Overall, the study argues that while Sudanese women remain central actors in resistance and peacebuilding, their contributions continue to be undervalued and insufficiently supported at both national and international levels.