Darfur Civil Society Organisation’s Strategic Planning Workshop
Grand Villa Holliday Hotel, 24-26 March 2007, Khartoum-Sudan

Final Communiqué and Recommendations

Facilitated by the Khartoum Centre for Human Rights and Environmental Development (KCHRED) and Justice Africa

Funded by the European Commission and the Government of Belgium

Download the communique text here (PDF file)

Preamble
The Darfur Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representatives from the three Darfur States, CSO activists in Khartoum, community leaders, and the peace centre of the University of Zalingei met at the Grand Holiday Villa, Khartoum from the 24th to the 26th of March, 2007 at the invitation of KCHRED and Justice Africa to discuss Darfur Civil Society Organisations strategic planning.

Mindful of the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur and the determination to alleviate the suffering of the people of Darfur;

Acknowledging Darfur Civil Society Organisations’ positive role in confronting the human tragedy in Darfur and their contribution to achieving stability and comprehensive and just peace in the region; Aware of Darfur Civil Society Organisations’ pioneering role within their various communities and the daunting task of facing the challenges of the humanitarian disaster in Darfur and the destiny of its people;

Appreciating the importance of civil society, the European Union has adopted a strategy to aid and assist in building the capacity of Darfur Civil Society Organisations to enable them play a vibrant role in reducing the suffering in their communities and assist in bringing peace to Darfur;

As a result, the European Union decided to provide funding to Justice Africa, an international organization working in the field of peace, human rights and capacity building to implement a programme that shall have the duration of six months.

For the implementation of the project, Justice Africa, in coordination with KCHRED, established a strategy with the following objectives:
1. Formulation of a strategic plan for Darfur Civil Society Organisations;
2. Involvement of Darfur Civil Society Organisations in formulation and the implementation of the strategic plan.

Justice Africa conducted several consultative brainstorming meetings with different Civil Society Organisations from Khartoum and the Darfur states to explore the best ways of achieving the objectives of the programme. It was concluded that the goal could only be achieved through a strategic planning workshop. Moreover, the workshop should involve all stakeholders in Darfur with the exception of those working in the relief sector. Inclusiveness of all stakeholders was emphasised. A workshop preparatory committee was formed to organise an event that would be inclusive of all actors and lay the foundations take for successive workshops and lasting engagement among the participants.

In this regard Justice Africa, through the preparatory committee, conducted several meetings and consultations on the strategy with many sectors of Darfur Civil Society in Khartoum and in the three states of Darfur. Participants were selected on the basis of the organisations’ records of achievement. Discussion papers and selection criteria for the workshop were agreed. The criteria included effective performance and contributions of the organisations in Darfur. The preparatory committee agreed on the following discussion papers to address the sectors of focus for future civil society engagement:

1. Peace: Vision on the future of peace in Darfur
2. Human Rights
3. Women and Children
4. Youth and Students
5. Capacity Building
6. Media

The workshop was held with considerable participation and characterised by a high level of discussion and objective recommendations. The donor representatives also participated in the workshop. Mindful of the need for transparency, Justice Africa revealed the total amount offered so far by the EC in relation to the project. The workshop divided itself into working groups to conduct detailed discussions on the papers presented. With assistance from the facilitators the working groups agreed on recommendations which were endorsed by the workshop plenary. The workshop recommendations shall form the core of future Darfur CSO engagement and shall be implemented according to the priorities agreed. However, the needs of each state shall be considered on its merits by Justice Africa in consultation with the EC and the Darfur civil society organisations.

The workshop was also honoured by the presence of Mr Eliasson, the UN Envoy for Darfur, and Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, the African Union Chief Negotiator on Darfur. Both addressed the workshop and gave their full attention to the participants. They received the final Communiqué and the recommendations of the workshop and promised to give these their full consideration as an
acknowledgment of the Darfur Civil Society Organisations’ leading role in resolving the Darfur crisis.

Finally, the workshop resolved to put forward the following recommendations:

1. Peace Sector
1. Call upon all the parties to the Darfur conflict to commit themselves to respect all signed protocols and ceasefire agreements;
2. Continue international and regional efforts to protect the civilian population
in Darfur, especially the IDPs and refugees;
3. Support confidence building and social peace mechanisms in Darfur;
4. Hold peace conferences at the national and Darfur State level to solicit a united Darfuri view on the peace process.
5. Support Agaweed (Reconciliation) process and training of traditional and community leaders in Darfur;
6. Publicise the resolutions of this workshop.

2. Women Sector
1. Strengthen women’s social and economic organizations;
2. Support women empowerment mechanisms to amole rate effects of war;
3. Support establishment of maternity health centre in Darfur States;
4. Support foster family projects.
3. Human Rights
1. Establish a Human Rights network among the Darfur states;
2. Establish specialized units on violence against women;
3. Employ Human Rights Centre personnel full time;
4. Support legal aid units in the states and IDP camps.

4. Media Sector
1. Establish a newspaper to tackle Darfur issues;
2. Establish a website to serve CSO objectives;
3. Promote local cultures to serve peaceful coexistence in Darfur;
4. Distribute radio equipment to IDPs;
5. Conclude a Memorandum of Understanding between Darfur Civil Society
Organizations, UN agencies, the EC and the African Union;
6. Establish public television clubs.

5. Capacity Building Sector
1. In the area of training:
a. Establish a training centre for Civil Society Organisations;
b. Provide training on the design of profit-making enterprises;
c. Provide training on negotiations, conflict prevention and conflict resolution skills;
d. Provide training on skills in peace culture and confidence building;
e. Provide training on project planning and report writing in the field of finance and administration,
f. Provide instruction in the field of languages (English) and information technology;
g. Offer capacity building for national NGOs with affirmative action for
women with regard to training opportunities.
2. Institutional Capacity Building:
a. Implementation of projects in all sectors;
b. Administration of training projects;
c. Administrative reform for community leaders;
d. Documentation and information gathering;
e. Networking.

6. Youth Sector
1. Development of voluntary work culture among youth;
2. Support youth postgraduate studies;
3. Conduct youth workshops in all Darfur States to discuss social peace
issues;
4. Establish schools for children by utilizing the unemployed graduates;
5. Establish base of voluntary workers by utilizing unemployed graduates.

The workshop noted with appreciation the kind funding of the European Commission, the Government of Belgium, and other donors and the hospitality of KCHRED and Justice Africa.

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