Socioeconomic Empowerment of Women in Sudan Learning Experiences

The SWGU believes that comprehensive development and planning processes can only be realised through the promotion of women's empowerment. To achieve this goal, the SWGU established a coordination mechanism with one of the biggest Sudanese federal ministries, the Ministry for Social Planning (MSP) and, in particular, the National Council for Social Planning (NCSP), at both national and state levels. Through fundamental empowerment activities women not only participated but also lead those institutions functionally related to the National Economic Planning Council (NEPC). Accordingly, all work was harmonised to pursue the set of goals stated in the Comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy (CPRS). Since women's concerns are varied, numerous, and interdisciplinary in nature, the SWGU officially directed it efforts towards the promotion of women's causes while unofficially targeting the whole spectrum of governmental institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), rather than limiting its efforts by trying to establish a ministry for women's affairs.