KHARTOUM: Theywere on the front lines and in the negotiating rooms that brought down militaryrule but Sudan's women have yet to take their rightful place in the newinstitutions. The signing last week of the documents outlining the transitionto civilian rule was a moment of national jubilation, turning the page on 30years of dictatorship and eight months of deadly protests.
But as the ceremony attended by a host offoreign dignitaries unfolded, one thing jumped out: the only female speaker atthe three-hour event was the host.
"That scenewas a slap in our face," Rabah Sadeq, a woman activist and longtimecampaigner for gender equality, said the next day. "So many women aretalking about this now, we have to raise this issue," she said. Some womenattending the signing heckled the speakers to express their displeasure and theindignation quickly spread to the street and social media. "Theparticipation of women in the revolution was very high, they even encouragedmen to join the demonstrations," said Sarah Ali Ahmed, a student inKhartoum.
"I was veryshocked to see the low representation of women... We want to play a role in thecivilian government, just like men," she said. On Wednesday, Sudan's newjoint civilian-military ruling body, which is meant to guide the countrythrough 39 months of transition to full civilian rule, was sworn in. Out of itssix civilian members, two are women, although only one was included in the listof nominees initially put forward by the protest camp.
Optimism
While theopposition alliance's chief negotiator in the run-up to Sudan's landmarkpolitical deal was a woman, Ibtisam al-Sanhouri, women were poorly representedin the various negotiating committees. The shock caused by the all-male line-upat the signing last week, which will go down as a key date in Sudan's history,appears to have had some impact in recent days. Sudan's new prime ministerAbdallah Hamdok, who arrived in the country on Wednesday, raised the issue inhis first comments to reporters after being sworn in.
"We have toconcentrate on women's participation. Sudanese women played a very big part inour revolution," said the 61-year-old former UN economist. "Butduring the negotiations... as well as during the signing of the documents, itwas only men. We have to correct this," Hamdok said. Samahir el-Mubarak, aspokeswoman for the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an independenttrade union confederation that played a central role in the protests, arguedthat women's under-representation was not too surprising.
"Thisabsence in the institutions is not acceptable but it's also understandable in away," said Mubarak, a 29-year-old pharmacist. "The organizations andpolitical parties that are active in the transition now have existed all along,and they excluded women. "But I'm very optimistic this is going tochange," she said. The legislative body which is due to be formed soon tohelp steer the country to democratic elections in 2022 will have at least 40percent of its seats reserved for women.
Distrust
"In thecondition we are in now, we need some kind of positive discrimination... buteventually women are qualified enough to become a majority in parliament andgovernment," Mubarak said. Growing awareness over femaleunder-representation in the transition appears already to be bearing fruit, anda woman is now tipped as the next chief justice.
"This isprogress but it's still not the level we want. Women should continue to beempowered," Rabah Sadeq said. Sarah Abdul Laleel, a UK-based pediatrician,agreed that women were insufficiently represented. "When you compare thestreet and the protests to the institutions, there's a mismatch," shesaid. Abdul Jaleel, also a member of the SPA, said that political parties didnot have people's trust and that a debate was needed to find news ways tointegrate women in the country's institutions.
Rabah Sadeqargued that parity was in the country's best interest. "Asking for morewomen isn't just symbolic, they are more committed to peace. It's not just forequality, it's for the chances of success of this transition," she said.Samahir El-Mubarak said that after decades of oppression under Bashir'sIslamist military regime, women had gained a lot of self-confidence in recentmonths. "Women were the dynamo ofthis revolution, they can't be taken out of the picture. Otherwise there willbe another revolution." - AFP