Sudan

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Population: 45,047,502

Capital: Khartoum

Language: Arabic (official), English (official)

Religion: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north)

Life Expectancy: 55.42 years

GDP per Capita: $2,200

• Has neither signed nor ratified the treaty of the UN convention on the elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
• State laws restrict both women’s movement and dress
• Lesbians and gays are criminalized in national law and subject to the death penalty
• Abortion is Illegal or severely restricted only to save woman’s life
• Over 90% of girls and women between 15-49 years have had female genital mutilation (2001 data)
• Rapes of women in Janjawid militias in Darfur are systematic. Prosecutions are non-existent, and some raped women have been prosecuted for adultery.
• Under 30% of women work for pay

Here is a link to an interesting article, by Jane Edward “reflecting on untold stories of Southern Sudanese women”-- link.  Here is one quote from it that I love;



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“The decision of those women and the man to bury my grandmother confirms women’s courage and determination to uphold some of the most important cultural aspects of their society. It is this kind of courage and commitment that makes those ordinary women extraordinary. The actions of those women further defy the traditionally held assumptions that women are “weak,” “disempowered” and unable to perform or to make crucial decisions in difficult situations.”

Here is another article about women protesting in Sudan and being arrested. It’s awful that these women are being arrested and being treated so terribly, but I love that there are women who are protesting and standing up for themselves and wanting to make a difference!-- Link

“The same law that requires giving a woman forty lashes for wearing pants requires giving a man who rapes a boy, a girl or a woman one month in prison.” –Watch the video below to hear more about this;