ABSTRACT

The next section provides a contextual background. Section three addresses the relevance of UNSCR 1325 to the reality of Sudanese women’s lives and whether or not it is being used effectively as an advocacy tool. It also discusses Sudanese women’s perceptions of gender, peace and security. It highlights the historical background of the Sudanese women’s movement in order to give the reader an idea of the extent of women’s role in civil society. Section four looks at the Sudanese women’s interactions with the peace processes, both before and after the arrival of the UN mission and the lessons carried from Naivasha to Abuja. Section five discusses the role of the international community in supporting the Resolution, specifically with regard to how it is being mainstreamed into existing programmes. The roles of UNMIS and UNFPA are discussed for their direct relevance and also because UNFPA is explicitly tailoring UNSCR 1325 into its programme. It also investigates whether the arrival of UNMIS has changed local approaches to and understanding of gender equality, and if it has succeeded in giving gender issues a higher profile than before.