“I have been working as a doctor and a human rights defender (HRD) for over 10 years. During this time, I have witnessed the many violations that doctors and health workers, in particular, are subjected to in my native Sudan. Arrests, detentions, killings – these have all been part of the ongoing conflict. Even so far away from home in the UK, where I have lived for many years, I still receive threats online. Social media smear campaigns carried out against my colleagues and I, all because we dare to speak up for justice and the rights of our fellow citizens.”

As a member of the Sudanese diaspora, Dr. Sara Abdelgalil is determined to stay abreast of the situation on the ground and make sure that all current violations are documented. However, the internet in Sudan can sometimes be unavailable, and communications are often intentionally jeopardised. There seems to be no end to the challenges faced daily by Sudanese HRDs.

Shortly after the war erupted in Sudan in April 2023, DefendDefenders invited the Sudan Doctors for Human Rights for an advocacy visit to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. Dr. Sara was facilitated to engage in advocacy interventions on the human rights situation in Sudan. Dr. Sara, who is a medical doctor – a paediatrician to be precise, had worked for several years in the field of human rights, but was unfamiliar with how the processes and proceedings worked within an international forum like the UNHRC.  For the first time, Dr. Sara got to know about the different working groups within the UNHRC and the importance of connecting with all these different groups.

“It was a very timely invitation. I must admit, I was very pleased with the organising. While in Geneva, we reached out to different groups within the Human Rights Council to promote the protection of civilians from conflict-related violence and ensure the provision of healthcare, food, and children’s welfare. We achieved significant results.

Dr. Sara holds fond memories of speaking alongside the late Enas Muzamil, during a side-event organised by DefendDefenders. Enas, a young HRD, spoke passionately about the need to stop the war and hold those responsible for the war accountable. Sadly, a year later – in February 2024, Enas passed away in Europe, as a refugee. Without having seen the peace she longed for in her homeland, but having certainly made her voice heard, and receiving much recognition for her work.

“Together, on this visit, I think we worked very well to send strong messages about the importance of the ceasefire, about the protection of human rights defenders, about reflecting on the violations that are taking place and about making clear that it’s not a civil war, but a war between the military and paramilitary. We made sure that the narrative is corrected and we made sure to make the right recommendations. There were a lot of follow-ups after the visit, a lot of connection and networking with human rights defenders from Sudan, lawyers, women’s group, and those who are interested in protecting children.”

The support from DefendDefenders did not end here.

“The following year, I was invited to speak again in Geneva, about the protection of HRDs and humanitarian responders. The room was full; there was representation from different members of states. I felt that there, I could convey how unsatisfied we are with the response from the international community and that as Sudanese, as civilians, we are pro-peace, and we are against any form of violence, and we do not accept the description of a ‘civil war’. I spoke about the violations that the local mutual aid groups are facing in Sudan. Why is that important? Because as I’m talking to you today, since the eruption of the war, the major source of humanitarian response is the locally mobilised aid group within the of the Sudanese community and the Sudanese diaspora, while the international community has stood motionless. Despite Sudan having the largest displaced civilian population in the world – over 11 million, the rest of the world is failing to respond to this dire situation.

I feel I truly got a chance to correct and set the narrative straight, and I stood up for the Sudanese civilians, HRDs, and the humanitarian responders. And the feedback I received after that, was “We stand with Sudan. We appreciate that the local communities and the diaspora are playing their part in their commitment to saving lives. So, it’s very important that DefendDefenders is there for all those who need this kind of support in Africa and worldwide. There are so many ongoing human rights violations against HRDs in different forms and contexts, but very few organisations like DefendDefenders, where people can reach out and seek help. Therefore, DefendDefenders’ capacity to respond is a major factor that will help save lives. It’s important to understand that.