Briefing: Enhancing Civic Engagement Initiatives in the Red Sea Region, July–October 2024
Briefing: Enhancing Civic Engagement Initiatives in the Red Sea Region, July–October 2024
The Public Policy Institute – Sudan implemented a capacity-building project aimed at empowering civil society organizations in the Red Sea region. The project focused on equipping these organizations with the skills to design and execute innovative and adaptive civic engagement initiatives. The effort included specialized training sessions followed by practical exercises to address the region’s key challenges and develop a participatory roadmap. These efforts emphasized contextual adaptability and the integration of research into activity design.
Civil society organizations in the region have long struggled with limited capacity to analyze local issues and plan effective interventions, particularly in designing and leading civic engagement initiatives. This is a result of decades of civil and developmental marginalization under the June 30, 1989 regime.
The project aimed to elevate the level of civil society initiatives in Port Sudan to address the challenges posed by the war, particularly the city’s role as the administrative capital of the internationally recognized government. The goal was to prepare these initiatives for the emerging circumstances while ensuring alignment with local community priorities. Many of these initiatives were originally established in or supported by civil movements in Khartoum before the April 15, 2023 war, and they predominantly focused on local issues.
To achieve this goal, the Institute trained 10 active civic initiatives in Port Sudan, alongside 25 civil society activists, through a three-week training program, with daily sessions lasting five hours. This was followed by a two-week practical training phase. Participants, with the assistance of the Institute’s team, evaluated ongoing initiatives and designed new ones tailored to local priorities and responsive to national challenges.
One participant remarked:
“I gained a deep understanding of the civic engagement initiatives I was involved in, which helped me guide my colleagues in evaluating them. We’re ready to start the development process immediately.”
Another participant added:
“We can now confidently say that a resilient civil society has emerged in the administrative capital.”
The Institute’s office in Port Sudan continues to support these young activists to ensure the sustainability of their impact.
The project provided critical insights, highlighting the necessity of relying on civil society during periods of instability and the strong commitment of the new generation to human rights principles. Their inspirational ability to overcome restrictions, coupled with their deep connection to local communities, demonstrated the value of investing in their capacity-building efforts. This investment offers medium- and long-term benefits, as these advocates for humanity and citizenship continue to make an impact despite mounting challenges.
Generous contributions from the Institute’s international partners played a pivotal role in initiating and completing the project professionally. These resources ensured adherence to the Institute’s quality standards and facilitated the implementation of activities despite security constraints.
The project reflects the core vision of the Institute: a peaceful, democratic, and stable Sudan. The vision of a society where everyone enjoys equal rights and opportunities, with access to resources, came closer to realization through equipping these civil society activists and emerging civic groups in the Red Sea region with vital knowledge and skills.
Operations Manager
Public Policy Institute – Red Sea Region
Date: October 5, 2024