As famine rages in Sudan, women activists take action

July 17, 2024 (Kampala) – The Guardians or Alharisat, a civil society group of women activists who participated in the December Revolution, on Wednesday launched a month-long campaign to mobilize global support to address Sudan’s escalating famine crisis.

According to a recent food security report, 25.6 million Sudanese are currently facing severe hunger, of which 755,000 are experiencing famine and another 8.5 million are on the verge of famine.

Ruweida Matar, secretary general of the Guardian, told Sudan Tribune that the campaign aims to “draw the world’s attention to the humanitarian disaster in Sudan.” The campaign, with the slogan “Don’t turn a blind eye to famine in Sudan,” aims to respond quickly and directly to the ongoing crisis, highlighting the tragic deaths from hunger that have already occurred.

On April 15, 2023, after the outbreak of war in Sudan, the Guardian moved its operations to Kampala due to the repression of civil society organizations, activists and volunteers caused by the conflict.

Matar stressed that the event, which will last until August 17, aims to raise awareness of the serious situation in Sudan and advocate urgent action by local, regional and international communities to respond to the humanitarian crisis.

She said the current response to the crisis was insufficient given the scale of the disaster, and the activist hoped that the Defenders’ campaign could serve as a catalyst for wider civil action and encourage increased donations and aid to Sudan.

The campaign, launched on social media, will be formally launched at the Guardians’ headquarters in Kampala on Friday with a distress signal in various Sudanese dialects and women dressed in mourning clothes beating tribal drums to symbolize the urgency of the situation.

The campaign will include a series of events, including a day of prayer and fasting for relief in Sudan, a protest at UN headquarters and the creation of an “anti-hunger wall” on which artists and children will create murals to raise awareness of the crisis.

Additionally, the Guardian will host free clinics in Sudanese refugee camps in Kampala and Kiriandongo in northern Uganda to highlight the challenges refugees face in accessing health services.

Members of the group will also launch individual fundraising campaigns to encourage Sudanese abroad to donate to famine relief efforts through UN agencies.