BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Detroit X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Detroit BEGIN:VEVENT UID:35506@arabamerica.com DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20251209T123000 DTSTAMP:20251203T015627Z URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/sudans-pro-democracy-movement-the-r ole-of-civil-society-and-prospects-for-democratic-transition/ SUMMARY:Sudan's Pro-Democracy Movement: The Role of Civil Society and Prosp ects for Democratic Transition DESCRIPTION:ONLINE\n\n \;\n\nThe war in Sudan\, now in its third year\, represents the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded and the fastest displacement crisis in the world\, with over 12 million people displaced a nd 30.4 million people (more than half the population) in need of humanit arian support. The war of military elites\, which erupted on April 15\, 20 23\, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)\, has led to the country’s de facto partition and resulted in two competing centers of power: the RSF in the west and the SAF in the center and east. But civilians are bearing the brunt of the fighting\, with wides pread human rights violations\, the targeting of civilians\, famine\, heal thcare system collapse\, sexual violence\, child soldier recruitment\, eth nic cleansing\, and attacks on aid workers. Despite several ceasefire effo rts\, the war shows no sign of abating\, as civil society is excluded from peace talks and processes and as foreign actors continue to fuel the viol ence and supply weapons. The international humanitarian response has also been severely inadequate\, leaving Sudanese civilians to depend on local r esistance committees and grassroots mutual-aid networks to address urgent needs. These committees\, representing Sudan’s leading pro-democracy mov ement\, were central to the 2019 revolution and later mobilized against th e 2021 coup. But they shifted their focus in 2023 toward humanitarian work \, establishing Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs)\, informal youth-led netwo rks that deliver lifesaving assistance in areas international agencies can not reach.\n\n \;\n\nIn light of these developments and the hyper-focu s on militarization\, Arab Center Washington DC (ACW) is convening a panel of experts to discuss the role of Sudan's civilian-led grassroots pro-dem ocracy movement. Panelists will explore the role of civil society in Sudan \, the evolution of pro-democracy movements\, the challenges they face\, a nd the prospects for a democratic\, inclusive\, and peaceful transition. W hat threats and challenges do ERRs and other local aid initiatives face?  How have pro-democracy activists been targeted and excluded from peace pro cesses? How can Sudan’s grassroots movements be included in shaping Suda n’s political future? What can the international community do to suppor t them? What are the prospects and recommendations for accountability meas ures and transitional justice processes?\n\n \; ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.arabamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2 025/12/unnamed.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20251102T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR