Hopes & Actions Foundation is a women-led digital policy organization dedicated to promoting and defending digital rights in Sudan. Our mission is to unite with activists, a network of civil society organizations, professional groups, communities, and social movements to find a just and sustainable world in this technologically fast-paced development era. We envision a digital society that values and upholds all digital rights. We specifically strive to ensure that women’s and marginalized voices are heard, respected, and protected in the digital realm, fostering a more equitable and inclusive digital environment for social justice. Our organization emerged from a critical juncture in Sudan’s history.

During the 2018-2019 revolution in Sudan, women activists were targeted online to deter them from taking a political stance that could influence public opinion. In particular, young women activists from marginalized ethnic groups, feminists who challenge culturally approved standards of appearance, women who speak about gender-based violence, and women in the public sphere, particularly journalists, are more vulnerable to OGBV. Intra-party harassment online is also documented in Sudan, where men from their own party frequently targeted women politicians both offline and online. In our previous research on the impact of OGBV on women’s political participation, participants cited online bullying, sexual harassment, blackmail, and threats as factors that restricted their engagement and led some individuals to eventually withdraw from their online activities entirely, as the impacts of OGBV extended into their offline lives. The outbreak of this war, however, has once again threatened women’s rights and their freedom of expression online. OGBV of a sexualized nature has been documented against journalists and civil society activists. Women peace advocates are also being accused of their cooperation with warring parties; these accusations are accompanied by online threats, which show an increase in OGBV with the absence of accountability.

To counter OGBV in Sudan amidst the ongoing conflict, this project will develop a multi-pronged approach that fosters collective action at the community level. Through this project we aim to empower two cohorts of female leaders—including politicians, peace advocates, journalists, and women human rights defenders—with essential digital security skills and a deeper understanding of OGBV in the Sudanese context. This will enable you to navigate online spaces safely and effectively, while ensuring your freedom of expressions online. Nevertheless, we will also work to generate reliable data on OGBV by training participants to track and document cases, fostering a culture of monitoring and accountability.  Participating in this program will empower you, and our organization to contribute to a vital network documenting online gender-based violence to inform future advocacy efforts towards better legal and digital landscapes.