South Kordofan and Blue Nile, Sudan 2010-15: experiences with local and global responses to protection crises

This report reflects on the experiences of conflict-affected communities and international agencies responding to four years of devastating civil war in the South Kordofan and Southern Blue Nile regions of Sudan. It highlights the importance of promoting effective and sustainable solutions to humanitarian crises with a focus on locally led responses. The report emphasizes the need to acknowledge and support the role and status of women as key agents of social protection, and not just as vulnerable victims of violence. It also describes the range of local initiatives and indigenous capacities that help local populations respond to crises, including investments in local protection capacity such as responding to the psychological impacts of unrelenting violence and the denial of basic human and civil rights. The report suggests that training local facilitators to recognize and help treat the consequences of psycho-social trauma has been perceived by communities as relevant and useful new knowledge and skills. Finally, the report emphasizes the importance of grounding protection interventions in existing local strengths and opportunities, including supporting cultural events and celebrations, providing civic education for adults, ensuring schooling for children, and establishing communications with the outside world.

This report was originally published by the Local to Global Protection initiative (L2GP).