USAID/OTI Sudan Success Stories March 2007
The overarching goal of USAID's OTI/Sudan program is to strengthen Sudanese confidence and capacity to address the causes and consequences of the political marginalization, violence, and instability that has plagued the country for nearly 50 years.
Working within the context of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the OTI/Sudan program focuses on promoting the emergence of responsive and effective civil authorities, establishing peaceful dialogue within and among communities, fostering the emergence of an active civil society, increasing the availability of independent information, and protecting vulnerable populations from grave human rights violations and related abuses. OTI also works with youth in Darfur's camps to promote peace and raise awareness of issues such as violence against women.
Promoting Peace and Human Rights on International Women's Day
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| Hakamat performers entertain at the International Women's Day festival in El Fasher.
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International Women's Day is commemorated annually on March 8 and offers an opportunity for people around the world to take positive action to protect and advance the rights of women. And the need for women's empowerment is particularly acute in Darfur, where women face assaults in the ongoing conflict by parties that use rape as a weapon of war.
The women and young girls who survive the sexual violence are often further marginalized by their communities, as they are viewed as being dishonored. In addition, the conflict has created societal stresses that have led to an increase in domestic violence against women and children. These crimes tear apart communities and affect the entire society.
Through support to the United Nations Development Programme and local organizations, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) sponsored an International Women's Day festival that brought together more than 500 people in El Fasher, North Darfur, to promote women's rights and address the harmful effects of violence in communities. The festival highlighted peace-building messages by the Hakamat, who are highly skilled and influential female performance artists that have traditionally used song and poetry to motivate warriors, particularly among the region's nomadic groups.
Using their art and venerated position, the Hakamat performers conveyed to the festival participants a powerful message of peaceful reconciliation and respect for women. In addition to the Hakamat, traditional performers from a number of ethnic groups took the stage during the day. The best performances were selected by public acclamation, and the event was professionally recorded for future dissemination.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: Victoria Rames, Program Manager, Tel: (202) 712-4899, vrames@usaid.gov
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