Bringing Sudan's Crisis to Canada: Sudanese activists share their stories

In August 2024, we welcomed two Sudanese human rights advocates to Canada for an urgent advocacy tour. As Sudan faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, our counterparts met with activists, policymakers and civil society organizations about the realities of war, displacement, and the struggles of LGBTQI+ communities.

For our Sudanese counterparts, sharing their own stories is not just advocacy—it is survival.

“The war isn’t just between the governmental Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war is on the people, it’s against us,” shared one of the activists, who we are keeping anonymous for their safety.

With the crisis largely overlooked internationally, their testimonies bring urgency to the realities on the ground. They described warring parties weaponizing aid, collapsing essential healthcare systems and LGBTQI+ individuals facing extreme risks at checkpoints and displacement camps. Many LGBTQI+ people are forced to hide their identities or flee violence—even from their own families.

In discussions with Canadian officials and advocacy groups, our counterparts pushed for concrete action: expanding the UN arms embargo to include all of Sudan, renewing and resourcing the UN’s Independent Fact-Finding Mission, and ensuring LGBTQI+ refugees are not left out of humanitarian responses. They highlighted the work of LGBTQI+-led organizations that, despite scarce resources, are providing life-saving services—yet they remain erased from mainstream narratives about the war.

International advocacy is most effective when those directly affected lead the conversation. By sharing their experiences, our Sudanese counterparts brought the crisis to Canadian audiences, strengthening solidarity networks and ensuring better support for Sudanese communities in Canada and overseas.

Advocacy tours like this ensure Sudan stays on the political agenda in Canada, pushing for policy change and keeping media, activists and decision-makers engaged. The fight for justice in Sudan continues and we remain committed to amplifying the voices of those on the frontlines.

Transformative change requires long-term support.

Monthly gifts are the best way to ensure a stable stream of funding to help our counterparts plan for the future – no matter the context. Become a Sustaining Donor today.

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