PROTECTING
CIVILIANS
IN SUDAN
THE WORST HUMANITARIAN CRISIS GLOBALLY
Over three years of continuous violence, severe access constraints, mass displacement, and the collapse of basic safety and protection systems have turned Sudan into the worst humanitarian crisis globally. An estimated 33.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Major developments in Darfur and Kordofan, including the fall of El Fasher after a prolonged siege and intensified military operations in other regions, have significantly increased risks for civilians.
Against this dire and challenging backdrop, CIVIC launched its program in Sudan in late 2025 to ensure that protection efforts remain effective, responsive, and grounded in the realities of the people affected by conflict.
CIVIC'S
MISSION
CIVIC’s work in Sudan is guided by a clear objective: to strengthen civilian protection and reduce civilian harm by placing conflict-affected communities at the center of responses to the crisis, including prevention, mitigation and policy action.
We operate on the principle that sustainable protection requires a dual approach: strengthening the resilience of local communities while supporting authorities and other influential actors to adopt and implement protection of civilians and civilian harm mitigation policies, tools, and practices.
This support aims to improve their behavior, enhance their accountability and responsiveness to civilian needs and risks.
To achieve this, our strategic response is built
on three core pillars:
Community Protection
and Capacity
Strengthening
Supporting community-based organizations, civil society actors, and local communities to lead protection efforts, strengthen accountability, and build inclusive community-based protection mechanisms.
Engagement with Security and Defense Forces
and their partners
Supporting and strengthening the capacity of relevant armed actors to integrate Protection of Civilians (PoC) principles, civilian harm mitigation measures, and community-sensitive approaches into their policies, operations, and practices.
Evidence Generation
and Policy
Influence
Producing field-based analysis and policy recommendations to inform and influence existing and ad hoc local, national, regional, and international institutions, as well as other relevant actors shaping responses to the crisis.
By utilizing targeted tools, such as civil society mapping, technical training on Protection of Civilians, Community-Based Protection, Civilian Harm Mitigation, Humanitarian Diplomacy, Protection of Civilians Evaluation Framework, rapid protection assessments, and high-level advocacy, CIVIC drives systemic change.
Together, these efforts reshape both policy and practice, ensuring that civilian protection in Sudan is more informed, locally grounded, and effectively integrated into decision-making at all levels.
GEOGRAPHIC
FOCUS
CIVIC adopts a community-based protection approach, combining local partnerships, evidence generation, and policy engagement to improve civilian protection
in highly volatile environments.
In Kassala, CIVIC focuses on community engagement through local leaders within native administrations and civil society organizations by collaborating to strengthen local protection networks. Our work in this region places strong emphasis on conflict prevention, early warning systems, and mitigating intercommunal tensions affecting civilian safety.
In South Darfur, the program supports local women-led organizations and civil society actors working on gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, emergency support, and community protection mechanisms. Activities also include preparing for community-led protection assessments and advocacy planning.
In West Kordofan, CIVIC carries out contextual analysis and engages with local stakeholders to better understand rapidly shifting conflict dynamics and protection risks.
In Khartoum, the program works closely with local civil society actors, including women-led organizations, to strengthen protection systems, support survivors of violence, and build community-based approaches to civilian protection. Activities include partner support, training, and engagement with authorities on protection of civilians (PoC) priorities.
Additional analysis on emerging crises has included areas like El Fasher and engagement with displaced communities in the Northern State.
KEY
RESULTS
The program has successfully shifted toward a locally-led model by supporting Sudanese organizations, generating critical field evidence of civilian harm, and bridging the gap between local realities and international policy through strategic advocacy and government dialogue.
Established a Local Protection Foundation
Conducted a Sudanese-led mapping exercise to identify credible local organizations.
Selected trusted partners, including women-led organizations, in Khartoum, Kassala, and South Darfur to ensure community trust.
Civil Society Capacity Strengthening
Provided structured training on Protection of Civilians (PoC), Community-Based Protection (CBP) and POC Evaluation Framework and safe engagement (Humanitarian Diplomacy) in high-risk environments.
Assisted partners in refining workplans to improve conflict sensitivity and risk management in high-risk zones.
Evidence-Based Advocacy
Analyse serious civilian harm, including risks faced during displacement, sexual and gender-based violence, forced recruitment, and the collapse of essential services, through rapid protection assessments and field engagement.
Used this field evidence to inform humanitarian policy and protection analysis.
International & Regional Awareness
Developed and disseminated policy briefs to National, regional and international institutions and relevant actors, including UN agencies, donors, African UNION, IGAD, and diplomatic actors.
Elevated the visibility of emerging crises in regions like Kordofan and El Fasher.
Government
Engagement
Fostered dialogue with state institutions regarding the embedding of PoC principles.
Raised awareness of key relevant governement actors, including Security and Defense officers on the Proteciton of Civilian, civilian harm mitigation and humanitarian protection.
Explored the implementation of Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) tracking mechanisms and national-level policy commitments.
FUTURE
FOCUS
Moving forward, CIVIC remains committed to reinforcing the protection of civilians in Sudan through locally led, evidence-based, and conflict-sensitive strategies.
Our future operations will focus on five strategic priorities:
Strengthening Local Protection Actors
We will continue to strengthen the capacity of community protection networks, including civil society organizations, women-led groups, and mutual aid structures, equipping them to better identify, prevent, and respond to acute risks threatening civilians, particularly women, children, and displaced populations.
Fostering Community-Led
Protection Mechanisms
A central priority is establishing and supporting community-level protection frameworks, including Community Protection Groups (CPGs) where feasible. These platforms will help communities to identify risks and develop locally led responses to emerging protection threats.
Amplifying civilians voices through Evidence-Based Humanitarian Diplomacy
CIVIC will enhance its policy influence by producing timely, field-derived analyses and policy briefs on escalating protection risks. This evidence will be used to inform international and regional actors, support early warning system, and strengthen coordinated responses to escalating civilian harm.
Integrating PoC and CHM principles and tools among influential actors
CIVIC will continue to increase awareness and integration of Protection of Civilians (PoC) and Civilian Harm Mitigation principles and tools among influential actors, including government stakeholders and security-related institutions, through ongoing dialogue and technical engagement.
Deepening Strategic Network Growth
The program will expand its reach by deepening engagement across its existing target states and strengthening coordination between local partners operating in different regions. Expansion is not based on a rapid geographic scale-up, but rather on building a wider network of trusted local actors within and across Kassala, Khartoum, South Darfur, and West Kordofan.
ENGAGMENTG
CIVIC adopts a multi-layered approach that connects grassroots communities, national institutions, and international actors to drive comprehensive protection for civilians in Sudan.
Community & Civil Society Level
The program partners with local civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based actors, informal mutual aid structures, and local leadership networks. This guarantees that protection responses remain firmly grounded in community realities and trusted local systems.
Local Leadership & Traditional Authorities
Across Kassala, Khartoum, South Darfur, and West Kordofan, our engagement extends to native administration structures, traditional community leaders, and local coordination mechanisms. These actors play an important role in conflict prevention, early warning, and facilitating community-level protection efforts, particularly in areas affected by intercommunal tensions.
Government & Institutional Level
The program engages with relevant ministries and state authorities, and protection-related government bodies. These engagements focus on strengthening institutional understanding of Protection of Civilians (PoC) and Civilian Harm Mitigation principles and exploring opportunities for improved coordination on civilian harm prevention.
Engagement with Security and Defense actors
at strategic, operational levels
Where appropriate and in line with risk guidance, and donor support, CIVIC engages with security-related institutions at the strategic and operational levels to promote awareness of civilian harm mitigation (CHM) and support strategic dialogue on protection frameworks. These engagements are complemented by structured discussions with national PoC committees and related coordination bodies.
International & Regional Level
The program work closely with UN agencies, humanitarian coordination structures, international donors, and diplomatic actors. Key stakeholders include UN OCHA, OHCHR, and Protection Cluster actors, alongside regional bodies like the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). These relationships support the dissemination of evidence-based analysis and strengthen coordinated advocacy on protection priorities.
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