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Supporting local democracy after two decades of civil war

In January 2005, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed between the liberation movement in Southern Sudan and the government in Khartoum. The agreement marked the end of more than 20 years of civil war in which close to two million people were killed, nearly three million were internally displaced and more than half a million fled into exile in the neighbouring countries and overseas.

In the 21 years of civil war, Southern Sudan was isolated from the rest of the world and only few had access to education. As a result, less than 40 percent of Southern Sudanese men are able to read and for the women, the statistics are even poorer. In April 2010, Sudan had its first democratic elections for more than 24 years. Even though the elections were heavily marked by irregularities, intimidation of voters and general confusion, the elections were an important step in Sudan’s – and especially Southern Sudan’s – democratic development. But elections are only a small aspect of democracy.

 

Democratic structure on local level

MS ActionAid Denmark believes that poverty can only be fought if local democracy is strengthened and the people of Southern Sudan get the opportunity to be heard and attain political influence and in that way, gain control of their own lives.

So far, state building in Southern Sudan has been addressed from the top with focus on supply and delivery and little attention has been paid to the issue of local government. Furthermore, international and national NGOs working in the field of local governance are relatively few and cannot meet the huge need of support to the development of human resources and organisational capacity in civil society. In addition, Southern Sudan is in a fragile state with a lack of democratic institutions, unevenly distributed development and resources, ongoing conflicts, insurgencies challenging the state’s monopoly on violence, a vulnerable peace agreement and weak relations between the Government of Southern Sudan and the Sudan's national government.

Therefore, MS operates with a distinct focus on local democracy. We support the strengthening of local democracy in terms of both civil society and local media and the formal structures and systems in the local government institutions at county, payam and boma level.

 

Focus on women and youth

MS has singled out women and youths as special target groups. Women and youths are traditionally left out of community decision making so if no special effort is made to include these groups in the new democratic set-up in Southern Sudan, they risk remaining subordinated to men and elderly.

About MS in Sudan

MS has operated in Southern Sudan since 1998.

Until 2008, the activities were managed by MS in Uganda and were directed towards Southern Sudanese refugees based in northern Uganda and communities north of the border in order to prepare them for a peaceful rebuilding of Southern Sudan.

In 2008, MS established an independent programme in Sudan.

MS in Sudan is based in Yei and supports activities in Central Equatoria. The programme will be closed down by the end of 2010.

Learn more

MS Sudan Country Programme Strategy 2008-2012 (pdf) In brief (pdf)
Documents