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Chairperson
Aguil de’Chut Deng
Secretary
Anna Adieng
Treasurer
Tereaza Adhieu Kou
Information
Elizabeth Adongjok
SA State Coordinator
Dr Victoria Achut
Comrade Aguil de’chut Deng was elected to the position at the 1st Women’s National Conference, in Canberra, 2007, with responsibilities:
To write and distribute report
To encourage women to register at state level
To organize 2nd National conference
To bring together Sudanese women from all parts of Australia and New Zealand to empower women through:
Advocacy
Networking
Peace Building
Welcome
Introduction of interstate delegates
Speech by Comrade Kon Ater, Chairperson SA Chapter SPLM
Speech by guest of honour Branka King
Speech by Chairperson Aguil Deng
Group discussion (6 groups)
Traditional dancing (Gogrial community dancing group)
Speeches by Women Leaders
Speech from Adut Ngor (professional women)
Speech from Youth Representative Medo Amum
Six groups were formed.
Topics discussed
Parenting
Communication
Leadership
Networking
Depression
Need for frequent meetings and workshops
Taking collective responsibility for passing information
Means of passing information
Active participation in the community
Breaking social isolation
Parenting issues
Overcoming depression
Confidentiality and privacy (interpreters)
Rights and responsibilities of clients
Involving young women - empowerment
Education and awareness
Actively involving in the Sudanese community activities
Breaking social isolation
Taking leadership roles and empowerment
More meetings and workshops
Networking at the state as well as the national level
Advocating on behalf of Sudanese women and girls to service providers and other government agencies
Encouraging women, especially young, to take up leadership roles
Bridging the gaps between the elders and youth
Improving skills for women, education and training
Improving Interpreting shortcomings to respect privacy and confidentiality
Means of improving parenting skills
Take collective responsibility in communicating information
Means of passing information (text messages, emails, letters, phone calls, word of mouth, community events and gatherings)
Next conference in NSW (date to be advised)
Current interim office to continue
Draft constitution
Establish State Branch offices (through election)
Work on draft constitution
Work on women’s calendar
Establish website
Inquire about radio program
Work on social activities that bring women together
Organize state conference
Conduct peace building workshop
Prepare for International Women’s Day in each state
Socializing fortnightly music and disco: venue in SA found, other states to follow
Organize 2009 budget for (National and state) activities
Find information about public functions, organizations of like mind and other community groups
Identify lists of volunteers to guide members
Conference Participants
Participants at this Conference were Sudanese women who, over recent years, have settled with their families in every State of Australia and New Zealand. These women represented Sudanese communities from three regions of Southern Sudan. Some women from other States in Australia did not make it to the Conference but sent their support, and assured participants of their commitment to implement the Conference outcomes.
These women come from different backgrounds and experiences. Many of the women are raising children on their own as their partners, husbands and fathers had died or were missing in the long Civil War which has ravaged this nation over two decades. Two and a half million lives were lost and more than five million people were displaced in their own country. For these women and many of their children, the horrors of war, hunger, fear, the experiences of long term living in temporary refugee camps are common experiences. For those who lived in the government-controlled areas, arbitrary arrest, forced changes of names and religion, rape and torture were commonplace stories. Their chance of a peaceful, productive lifestyle is now possible since arriving in Australia and the Sudanese women want to ensure that this opportunity in Australia is fully realised.
Aims of the Conference.
The over-riding desire of all representatives at the Conference was to encourage peaceful relations and support mechanisms within the Sudanese communities and to engender strong links with Australian communities and Australian people. The Sudanese women want to be productive Australian Citizens and play an active part in their local communities. At the same time these women are proud of their heritage and culture and wish to maintain this strength in their family and communities.
Many of the daily challenges for this group are shared by their peers all around Australia. It was recognised that the sharing of experiences and exchange of ideas in meeting these challenges would be of benefit to all.
Discussions with Conference participants identified a number of key areas of concern.
Peace building.
There is much mistrust within Sudanese communities. How can individuals from warring factions work together after so many years of war? How can one family seek another’s support when loved ones have been assaulted or killed by that family or relatives of that family? Australian counselling agencies may not have the cultural understanding achieve harmony between factions. As well as their desire for Sudanese community solidarity, the representatives wanted to find ways of establishing strong, peaceful links with individuals and agencies within the Australian community.
Sudanese youth and their relations with Police and law enforcement agencies.
Four Sudanese young men were killed in Australia last year. In some cases the offenders were not brought to justice. Family members attended the courts by themselves without support from the wider community. These are either wives or mothers. Lack of support mechanisms from the community, financial disadvantage and the conflicting burdens of family responsibilities/commitments have contributed to the grieving families’ feelings of isolation and abandonment. Many young people are frustrated with the educationsystem: class placements do not take into account the potential learning ability of these students. When they come home they are stressed and this causes problems. They hang around with undesirable groups and end up breaking the law and losing their family support.
Mothers want to work with the Police and law enforcement agencies to find ways of ensuring that their young people are not in trouble and are good law abiding citizens.
Education for all ages, especially for the youth and the adults.
Because of the long years of war in Sudan, the education of children, youth and adults was severely disrupted and for many, non-existent. There is a desperate need to learn good communicative English for all ages. Many young people have huge gaps in their world knowledge and literacy and numeracy skills are poor. Children in schools will need extra support to fill gaps in knowledge and classroom allocations according to age should be monitored so that children are not disadvantaged by their poor educational backgrounds. Adolescents are keen to make rapid progress but their poor literacy and numeracy skills are sources of frustration. These young people should be provided with extra tutoring to enable them to function in the classroom without loss of esteem with their Australian peers. The same approach is required by young adults seeking tertiary and work-skill training. The Sudanese women would like to recruit more volunteers to fill this gap.
Social isolation.
Sudanese family units are isolated in the suburbs of capital cities and also in rural areas. These units are often single parent households. Cost of transport inhibits regular visiting between Sudanese families. However, fear and mistrust of previous ‘enemy’ groups also deters communication. There are huge lifestyle differences and backgrounds. Some came from cities, others from country areas. Also, some Sudanese had been involved in fighting for freedom while others had given in to the system: now people from both sides are expected to live harmoniously together in an Australian community.
Discrimination and ways of dealing with it.
There have been incidents where Sudanese have been victims of discrimination. How should Sudanese families respond to these situations in the workplace, at schools and in places of worship?
Need for employment skills.
Many Sudanese want to join the Australian workforce as quickly as possible but lack the necessary training to succeed. Educational gaps, cultural misunderstandings and the lack of networks in the community are great sources of frustration. Tertiary education is not easily accessed because of costs and some do not meet employment agencies’ requirements. Women will help to find jobs for some through networking with the wider community.
Family breakdown
It is difficult to maintain strong family units when cultural traditions are questioned, when children are raised by a single parent, or both parents, who may be overwhelmed by the everyday stresses of maintaining an income and learning about the responsibilities of citizens in our Australian community. The youth often end up on the street, confronting law enforcement. How can the community play a role in prevention?
Business opportunities.
Many Sudanese refugees have been successful business operators in Sudan and in refugee camps. However, despite the desire to set up a business in Australia, their efforts often fail. The need for capital investment is one issue. Another is the need for ‘peer support’ from existing businesses to learn the processes of setting up businesses and to also learn the obligations of business operators in the Australian setting.
Special needs in advocacy skills and linking into government agencies and community organisations.
Increased cultural promotion.
Formation of the National Sudanese Women’s Refugee Network
1
Preparation of a Mission Statement for the National Sudanese Women’s Refugee Network
2
Peace-building
Cultural Promotion
Sharing Information
Building Bridges
Networking with women and community through community organizations and government agencies
Proposed Strategies to Implement Mission Statement:
3
Interstate exchange visits to share experiences, explore options and work on solutions
Training in conflict resolution and mediation, reconciliation, conflict
preventative strategies and anger management
Fundraising activities to facilitate networking and linking with the mainstream
Increased cultural promotion in Australian festivals and celebrations
Establish and maintain a range of communication processes to keep the Sudanese women informed of ideas, common issues and solutions and to provide a ‘public’ face to the Australian community, eg
Establish a website.
Have a regular radio program.
Produce a monthly newsletter.
Organise regular meetings within the Sudanese community in each State and region to discuss these matters as they arise.
Regularly attend meetings and functions in the mainstream Australian community.
Participants agreed to elect three Representatives from each State to the National Body. Representatives are to be drawn from three Regions of the South Sudan, namely- Bhar el Ghazal, Equatoria and Upper Nile Region.
Participants agreed to elect the Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer. The persons elected to National Sudanese Women Refugees Network ad-hoc committee are:-
Chairperson
Aguil de’Chut Deng
Secretary
Anna Adieng
Treasurer
Tereaza Adhieu Kou
Immediate Tasks
Write the report and send it to all states.
Request each state to send in their representatives names.
Set up a web site.
Draft a constitution.
Find ways for Fund Raising, and Submit Applications for grants.
Set a date for the next conference, venue, etc.
By Aguil de’Chut Deng