Women

Introduction

 Sudan stems from a cultural heritage and value-based principles that emphasize gender equity and justice, honoring women and believing in the importance of their role as a fundamental pillar in the renaissance and construction of society. Sudanese women preceded their counterparts in neighboring countries, gaining the right to vote in 1954 and the right to run for office in 1964.

The first woman entered the Sudanese Parliament in 1964 while the  percentage of women in the current parliament (2010) represents more than 25%. This remarkable leap came in accordance with the Elections Law, achieving a distinguished gain for Sudanese women by securing a 25% quota for women’s representation in Parliament and legislative councils.

The Interim Constitution of Sudan also granted women the right to participate in forming and joining political parties, trade unions, and professional and sectoral associations.This led all Sudanese political parties to include active female leadership within their executive and leadership bureaus. This inclusion empowered women to participate in making numerous political decisions.

Furthermore, the Transitional Constitution guaranteed the foundations for achieving social, economic, and political justice among all groups and regions, as well as between men and women, thereby fostering a secure and stable nation. It also reaffirmed the right to equal pay for equal work since the 1970s, and women achieved an equal retirement age to that of men. Additionally, the 1998 Constitution granted women the right to pass Sudanese citizenship to their children from a foreign spouse.

Sudan is among the first Arab and African nations to appoint women to the judiciary, with the number of female judges reaching 80. Women have also held senior positions in the civil service and the diplomatic corps, reaching the rank of Major General in the Army and Security Forces, and the rank of Lieutenant General in the Police.

The Political Experience of Women

Women participate significantly in public political life and decision-making positions, backed by civil and political rights guaranteed by the Constitution. They have also been active in various parliaments and legislative bodies in Sudan from 1956 to the present day.

Furthermore, women have assumed leadership roles within the Council.

• In the Third Constituent Assembly (1986), a woman held the position of Chairperson of the Education Committee.
• In the Transitional National Council (1994), a woman chaired the Social Affairs Committee.
• In the National Assembly (1994), women held positions as Chair of the Industry Committee, Chief Whip (Leader of Deliberations), and Chair of the Community Development Committee.
• In the National Assembly (2001), women served as Chair of the Peace Committee and Chair of the Community Development Committee.

Women have also participated in the executive branch:

- In labor unions, they have served on central committees and executive offices across 13 sessions.

- Within the judiciary, women have attained positions as judges and Supreme Court justices, with 7 female members currently serving on the Supreme Court.

Additionally, women have held roles such as Head of a Judicial Body, Public Prosecutor, and Consultant at the Attorney General's Office.

 In the diplomatic corps, there are currently two female ambassadors and 17 diplomats, while in the police force, 927 female officers are currently serving.

Pioneers woman of  sudan :

• Start of women's education history ( 1907)
• First cohort of female university students 1930
• First women's association (  1943)
• First women's club ; Intellectual Girls' League ( 1947)
• First female doctors in Sudan: Dr. Khalda Zahir & Dr. Arwa ( 1953)
• First women's newspaper : Women's Rights Newspaper ( 1955)
• First Sudanese female broadcaster ( 1956)
• First Sudanese female singer with her own band and records: Aisha Al-Falatiya (1942)
• First Women’s Union: Sudanese Women's Union ( 1952)
• First female Member of Parliament: Ms. Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim (1965)
• Women gain the right to vote in elections ( 1953)
• Women gain the right to run for all political bodies ( 1964)
• First female member of a Constitution Drafting Committee: Thoraya Al-Dardiri ( 1953)
• First female judge in Africa and first female Supreme Court Judge: Maulana Ihsan Mohamed Fakhri ( 1976)
• First female State Governor: Ms. Agnes Lukudu ( 1991)
• First female Minister without Portfolio: Ms. Nafisa Ahmed Al-Amin ( 1971)
• First female Minister with Portfolio (Ministry of Social Affairs): Dr. Fatima Abdel Mahmoud ( 1973)

Statistics on Women's Representation in Sudan

1. Legislative Branch : in the current Parliament: 78 female deputies (representing 25%).
2. Executive Branch : ministers in the current government: 5 (Social Welfare, Labor, Parliamentary Affairs, Education, and Media).
3. Judicial Branch : judges in senior positions: 89 judges.
4. Public Prosecution : prosecutors and consultants in the Attorney General’s Office: 284 (representing 40% of prosecutors and public attorneys in Sudan).

Professional & Institutional Representation of Women

1. Security & Diplomacy :

• Officers in the Police Force: 10%
• Among NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) and soldiers: 15%
• In  the Diplomatic Corps: 7%

2. Education & Legal Sector :

• In the legal profession (Lawyers): 41%

 In the education sector: 69%

• Students in Higher Education (universities and institutes): 67%

3. Civil Society :

• Number of branches of the General Union of Sudanese Women: 27,000 branches

Sudanese Women's Entities & Organizations

• General Union of Sudanese Women
• Business and Professional Women’s Union Club
• Businesswomen’s Secrétariat
• Small Productive Projects Development Association
• Women’s Secretariat of the Sudan Workers Trade Union Federation
• Working Women’s Association