Sudanese Youth Network for Ending the War and Establishing a Democratic Civil Transformation

2025 Honourable Mention

Regional

Sudanese Youth Network’s Story

At a community meeting space in Nairobi, young Sudanese men and women, along with children and families, listen to guest speakers talk about their ideas around moving to a ceasefire and opening humanitarian corridors. “Until now, my whole life has been war,” says a member of Sudanese Youth Network for Ending the War and Establishing a Democratic Civil Transformation (SYN).  

A woman comes to the mic, warning the group about the uphill challenge they face and how difficult it will be to achieve their goals. She implies they are overly idealistic and do not have a large enough support base or leverage to influence the actions of Sudanese militia leaders and political elite. But rather than get frustrated, the youth leading the session welcome the criticism and say they will use it to strengthen their advocacy campaigns.

The war in Sudan has forced more than 11 million people from their homes since 2023, making it the largest displacement crisis in the world. SYN has been a leading youth voice against the war since its founding in 2023. It is led entirely by young people, all volunteers, with more than 400 members in chapters in Sudan and neighbouring countries.

Members of SYN include youth from different ethnic, political, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Each chapter elects one male and one female representative, setting a level of engagement by women that is rarely seen in Sudanese society. While diverse, the group shares a joint mission to bring about a ceasefire, end to the war and transition to a civilian government.

SYN maintains political and ideological neutrality. The organization actively engages with political officials and organizations to have a voice in peacebuilding efforts, and develop campaigns that galvanize the views of Sudanese youth around key topics such as the ceasefire, or transitional government.

To strengthen the skills of its members and other Sudanese youth, it hosts trainings and workshops on topics such as mediation, negotiation and advocacy skills. Its work has caught the attention of important international and regional bodies. For example, SYN members have been invited to a number of consultations and dialogues organized by the African Union’s on resolving the conflict in Sudan. SYN has participated and continue to take opportunities to advocate for greater youth inclusion in Sudanese peace talks. Recognition like this helps affirm SYN’s efforts to advance social and political change.