Sudan Joint Response 2022 & 2023 Project SUMMARY
Plan International Sudan is partaking in the third Sudan Joint Response, in collaboration with the Dutch Relief Alliance funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Plan International Netherlands, SOS Child Villages and ZOA have joined forces to provide multi-sectoral assistance. Plan will respond to the immediate needs and protection risks of the most vulnerable and conflict affected people in targeted areas in North Darfur, South Kordofan and Khartoum through an effective and efficient humanitarian response throughout 2022-2023. A total of 94.755 affected people across the states of North Darfur, South Kordofan and Khartoum will benefit from activities providing multi-sectoral assistance in the Protection, Health and Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL) sectors. The project targets the most vulnerable and conflict affected people including (refugees, host, IDP) women, children, women- & child-headed households, elderly and people with disabilities. The C-19 pandemic combined with conflict and extreme weather is causing high food insecurity rates in Sudan. A contributing factor is the economic crisis in the country with an inflation rate of 412.75% per June ‘21. This reality adds more pressure to people (in need), who are struggling to meet their basic needs. They are increasingly becoming unable to afford basic food and services, as prices have increased by 400%. Based on the IPC (2021), 9.8M people in Sudan are experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity (IPC level 3+) between June - September ‘21.

Boys and girls in Sudan continue to be at risk of multiple forms of violence. Out of 2.6M children in need, +- 1 million (51%F) are IDPs, 285,000 (55%F) returnees, and 1.2 million (52%F) are vulnerable children from host communities. GBV is a key concern, especially among women & girls in IDP and refugee communities; incl. gang rape, abduction, physical assault, harassment, humiliation. 

In 2020 57% health was in the top of 7 self-reported priority needs (MNA report). HHs that attempted to access health care reported barriers to accessing health care including: Lack of medicine at health facilities, cost of services and/or medicine was too high/cannot afford to pay. The JR4 project will ensure that vulnerable households, particularly those with at risk adolescents and young women, have increased access to vocational and business development opportunities. Through this it is envisaged that the wellbeing of vulnerable youth and adolescents, is improved and participants are able to engage, create and sustain livelihoods and mitigate risks. Also, through the JR access to food security will be increased through climate adapted agriculture among vulnerable farmers.

Within the project children’s resilience will be enhanced through strengthening protective environment for girls, boys and adolescents in all project areas by strengthening the knowledge/skills of boys & girls, to help and protect themselves during risks & hazards. Parents and caregivers will be engaged to support this outcome. Case management will be conducted for vulnerable children.

JR4 will link to the health sector SO 1: Increase equitable access to humanitarian lifesaving and life-sustaining basic health services for those residing in high-risk areas and vulnerable population groups & SO 3: Strengthen health system capacity to enhance vulnerable groups and communities resilience to absorb and respond to shocks. This project builds and expands on its interventions conducted in prior JR’s. ASSIST and CAFA will continue their work in South Kordofan and Khartoum and FPDO will be added as a partner within the consortium. ERRADA, also a former JR partner is now subcontracted by Plan.

- As in previous years, Plan will partner with ASSIST in South Kordofan, implementing key aspects of the protection intervention.
- Plan has an on-going partnership with CAFA in Khartoum state and White Nile refugee response in CP and WASH interventions. CAFA will implement 70% of the planned Livelihoods strengthening  activities.
- FPDO is a new partner and will conduct activities in North Darfur. FPDO works in peace and development through the implementation of various projects in the areas of Public Health, Peace building, Education, WASH, Food security & Livelihoods and Child Protection. It will implement CP and FSL/Peace building activities, as well as FSL activities such as the establishment of VSLAs, Business  and Vocational Training and Peacebuilding.
- ERRADA will focus on Health activities by implementing GBV/Health services, complementary to Plan’s and SOS’ protection activities in Khartoum to ensure sustainable referrals for GBV cases. This project will target IDPs and communities in need in Khartoum, South Kordofan, and North Darfur with comprehensive Protection (CP, GBV, and Peacebuilding), FSL, and Health activities. This project will target 22,603 people (4981 girls, 5219 boys, 6568 women, and 5835 men). In particular, Protection Outcome 1 is designed to improve social cohesion through the formation of life skills groups for adolescents, parenting groups, and platforms for adolescents to engage in and advocate for change and peace. These activities will help adolescents function better and provide them with productive outlets to improve their communities and lives. Furthermore, the life skills sessions will include sessions on DRR. Parenting sessions will provide parents who are struggling with tools to care for their children in a positive and productive fashion. Together these activities will bring generations together and form structures that the community will continue to utilize even after the project has finished. 

Protection Outcomes 2 and 3 increase resilience by strengthening both institutional and communal protection structures through training (CSO staff, duty bearers, social workers, case workers), the formation of CBCPNs, awareness raising, the rehabilitation of essential communal centers, supporting the creation of linkages between actors, and updating and improving child protection and GBV referral mechanisms. Furthermore, it provides case management services as well as cash support to them and their families to the most vulnerable children in the communities thereby increasing the resilience of the least resilient community members. The FSL package is designed to increase the resilience of more urban communities and individuals by providing vocational training and start up kits as well as training on business management and cash grants for declined businesses. It also provides a comprehensive agricultural package for rural communities designed increased to food security through climate-adapted agriculture among vulnerable farmers, particularly women. Further, it fosters communal cohesion through the formation of communal structures for herd management, seed storage, and disaster preparedness. It also aims to build the capacity of duty bearers from the government, NGOs, and communities to strengthen participatory processes.   

Through Protection Outcome 4, the project will build social cohesion ad promote peacebuilding between conflicting tribes and communities (nomads and farmers). This will be accomplished through the formation of joint peace committees as well as Community-Based Peace Building & Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, which will include adolescent, youth, and young women representatives. The purpose of the committees are to act as fair bodies where communities as a whole as well as individuals can come and seek to solve issues in a peaceful manner. Committee members will take part in training on conflict analysis, mediation, and conflict resolution. The project will also facilitate intercommunal dialogues for community-to-community peace engagement, which will build trust between communities as well as in the structures formed to facilitate peaceful resolutions. Furthermore, this project will promote and organize youth driven initiatives for peacebuilding as well as cultural and sports tournaments that aim to create peace between conflicting communities. 

Through these activities the project will create sustainable communal capacities, structures, and mechanisms that will continue to exist and function even after the project has ended. This includes building on the innovation B-Ready climate monitoring system at community level as well capacities within the meteorology department. The process enhances the prevention and risk reduction aspects related to common disasters related to climate change. The project also works in close coordination with the line ministries on protection, food security aligned to their sector strategies and plans. The two year cycle aids in ensuring more sustainable programming and allows for the implementation of a more comprehensive package.

Within the Health sector, the project will support the provision of SRHR Services in two clinics in Khartoum state. The services will be comprehensive and include: the provision of antenatal care, clean & safe delivery attended by trained midwives, post-natal care and family planning, treatment and counselling for STIs, counselling for survivors (victims) of GBV, follow up of nutrition status of PLW and provide referral service (GBV & Nutrition) whenever it is needed. Raising awareness on GBV & SRHRs will  include provision of comprehensive sexual education (CSE) for young girls and women using national and plan international manuals and guidelines. All activities will be conducted with follow up the precaution measures from C-19, and during the implementation of each activities Plan will distribute PPE.