Justice and accountability are key pillars in building a solid foundation for states, based on the rule of law. Strengthening documentation standards is an important step towards addressing the accountability challenges facing Sudan, and a contribution to a future where justice and truth shape lasting peace and dignity for all.
.
For news and resources on the conflict and tools for addressing violations see Wayamo’s SUDAN ONLINE JUSTICE HUB
Capacity building for Sudanese civil society and legal actors: Breaking the cycle of impunity for international crimes
Wayamo began its work in Sudan in 2022, but with the outbreak of the armed conflict on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the planned activities of the Sudan project had to be re-oriented. We nevertheless believed that there are tools that can enable us to be proactive in our quest for justice and accountability even in the midst of war.
Addressing impunity for international crimes and human rights violations is key to building a solid foundation for the establishment of democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law and human rights.
Beginning in 2025, Wayamo is implementing the second phase of its project “Strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations in Sudan to address core grievances: Breaking the cycle of impunity for international crimes”.
The project’s goal is to build thecapacity of Sudanese legal practitioners and human rights defenders to document international crimes effectively. The project is designed to enhance documentation standards for purposes of accountability. This will be done through strengthening the ethical documentation of international crimes and facilitating professional collection and documentation processes, to lay the groundworkfor existing and future accountability processes, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the AU and UN Fact Finding Missions (FFM) for Sudan, universal jurisdiction processes among others.
Through strategic partnerships, Wayamo is supporting Sudanese lawyers and human rights defenders with legal and technical assistance to build robust international crimes cases.
All of this is done with the understanding that improved standards of documentation are not only critical for accountability, but also serve broader objectives including advocacy and the preservation of historical memory, further advancing the pursuit of justice and accountability in Sudan.
The online Sudan Online Hubbuilt during the first phase of the project, continues to consolidate print and multimedia resources relating to the current conflict in Sudan, regional and international experiences with international criminal justice, and tools that civil society actors can employ in response to ongoing violations in the country. In building this hub, Wayamo brought together experts and practitioners to share their views on important aspects of international justice in domestic and international contexts as well as achievements, challenges and opportunities in the international justice space that could be relevant for the Sudanese context.
Project Pillars
Strengthen Sudanese Documentation Capacity
Raise the level of professionalism among Sudanese actors to ensure ethical documentation of international crimes through training on international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, as well as modern forms of evidence.
Mentorship & Legal Pairings
Sudanese actors are provided with legal and technical support in case building through mentorship sessions, and paired with international strategic litigation firms to further develop atrocity crimes cases.
Engagement with Accountability Mechanisms
Wayamo continues to foster the relationship with and engagement with existing and potential accountability mechanisms such as the ICC, UN and AU Fact-Finding mission, cross-border collaboration on universal jurisdiction, African regional mechanisms.
Building a network of Sudanese, Kenyan, Ugandan and South African CSOs to support atrocity crimes cases
Wayamo will continue to foster collaboration with CSOs across various countries with universal jurisdiction provisions in their laws to support various actions to disrupt the commission of international crimes.
Target Groups in Sudan
Sudanese legal practitioners and human rights defenders
Kenyan, Ugandan and South African Civil society organisations
Prosecution authorities in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Mauritius
The Wayamo Foundation held a three-day workshop in Nairobi from 11-13 September 2023, on responsible media reporting of justice and accountability processes in and for Sudan. See the full album
“Domestic accountability mechanisms for international crimes: new developments and opportunities in East Africa” on the 7th of September 2023 at the PTI in Nairobi, Kenya. See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation hosted a three-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6-8 September 2023, on the topic of “modern forms of evidence and the potential application of universal jurisdiction in the East African region for international crimes committed in Sudan.” See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation held a symposium on Monitoring and Documentation of Human Rights Violations in Sudan on 17 July 2023 at the Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya. See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation hosted a public symposium on transitional justice and international criminal law on 19 May 2023 at the Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation hosted an expert meeting on 17-18 May in Nairobi, Kenya, on the documentation of international crimes and human rights violations for future accountability purposes. See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation organised a three-day workshop from 5-7 March 2023 on justice and accountability for international crimes and the role of journalists in peace and justice initiatives. See the full album
The Wayamo Foundation hosted a two-day workshop in Kampala, Uganda, from 5-6 March 2023 on the subject of how best to draw upon international criminal law and practice to further the mission of achieving accountability via national justice systems for international crimes in Sudan. See the full album
From 7-10 November 2022, Khartoum-based and Darfuri media attended sessions designed to strengthen their reporting skills and reinforce their knowledge of journalistic ethics and critical justice-related issues. See the full album
From 7-10 November 2022, a cross-section of the Sudanese legal community from Khartoum and Darfur, received training on transitional justice and international criminal law in Nairobi. See the full album
On 14 September 2022, the Wayamo Foundation and Contraband held a cultural event in Khartoum, entitled “Kul Al Balad Darfur – Exploring complementary avenues for justice and accountability”. See the full album