Addis ababa: The Women for Peace and Justice Platform organized a large solidarity vigil for women on the sidelines of the African leaders' summit of the African Union, currently being held in Addis Ababa.
According to Sudan News Agency, Ibtisam Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the platform, said in a statement that the event aimed to convey the voice of Sudanese women facing severe challenges as a result of the ongoing conflict. She said participants delivered an urgent appeal to a number of African leaders and diplomatic missions attending the continental gathering, affirming that international silence regarding violations is no longer an acceptable option amid the worsening humanitarian situation.
The vigil was attended by Dr. Lita, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights from The Gambia, in a show of continental solidarity with victims. The appeal presented four central demands focused on forging a unified African position condemning grave abuses against women, establishing justice and accountability, and activating legal mechanisms to ensure an end to impunity-particularly in light of the documentation of thousands of cases requiring urgent legal and human rights intervention.
The platform also stressed in its message to African leaders the importance of strengthening comprehensive humanitarian protection by providing urgent psychological and logistical support to thousands of displaced women living in harsh conditions. The appeal called for empowering Sudanese women's voices and opening meaningful avenues for their participation in African forums, so that women serve as credible witnesses and leading voices in peacebuilding processes. It warned that excluding women weakens prospects for sustainable and inclusive solutions to the current crisis.
The platform urged African leaders to assume their historic responsibilities toward safeguarding Sudan's future, stating that protecting women is inseparable from preserving African dignity as a whole. The event affirmed that rights do not lapse over time and that confidence in leaders' wisdom must be translated into practical positions that restore hope to those burdened by suffering and put an end to the hardship endured by Sudanese women, who remain a fundamental pillar of society in times of crisis.