Justice Africa is coordinator of the Civil Project in Sudan, an ambitious programme that articulates an agenda of civil rights, social justice, pluralism, tolerance, democracy, and peace. It is designed as a challenge to the current Sudan Government’s ‘Civilisation Project an attempt to enforce a narrow and exclusivist vision of Islamist extremism on Sudan’s diverse society. But it is also a wider project to address the longstanding injustices and exclusivist politics that characterise modern Sudan The Civil Project was started in 1997 by a coalition of Sudanese civil society organisations, with the aim of committing Sudan’s democratic opposition to a practical and comprehensive programme of human rights, democratisation, institutional reform, and social tolerance. Following a successful conference in Kampala, Uganda, in 1999, the Committee adopted a more far-reaching agenda. Alongside Justice Africa the fundholder and coordinator of the Project the Committee of the Civil Project includes:

• Sudan Human Rights Organisation
• South Sudan Law Society
• Nuba Mountains Solidarity Abroad
• Representatives of the Sudanese human rights community inside Sudan and in the diaspora.

A large and expanding number of other Sudanese civil society organisations are also involved, representing groups from all parts of the country and all kinds of constituencies. The Civil Project is developing a vision of a civil agenda in Sudan, and is building a coalition of groups that can promote and defend this agenda.

Justice Africa and the Civil Project are assisting a wide range of Sudanese civil society organisations to work together and defend their collective interests. We have brought together disparate groups that had little occasion to meet before or work together until now.

Justice Africa and the Civil Project is planning to convene the first-ever Sudanese National Women’s Convention, to enable Sudanese women to develop their agenda and strategy for pursuing it.

Justice Africa and the Civil Project have succeeded in impressing a civil agenda into the political arena in Sudan, using public meetings, publications, the media, lobbying political leaders, and assisting nascent civil society organisations. We have raised many issues for the first time.

The Civil Project is leading the way in developing a set of policy and programme frameworks that can help set specific agendas for the transition to peace and democracy in Sudan. Currently, these take the form of ‘issue papers’ that lay out policy issues and options. The project is also drafting laws and developing the basis for a detailed policy dialogue with a transitional or democratic government.

The Civil Project has established the ‘Kampala Forum’ in which political leaders are called to discuss essential issues with civil society representatives. This is a unique and highly productive exercise in democratic accountability. It enables enew political leaders’ public commitment to human rights undertakings, and monitor their adherence to their commitments. Maintaining the Kampala Forum is a priority for the Civil Project in the future.