Local lifelines: Enhancing information sharing and inclusion in Sudan humanitarian response
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Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, civil society in Sudan has changed dramatically. Formally registered national NGOs, who are typically have been heavily reliant on international funding, have been hit hard by budget cuts. In response, hyper-local mutual aid groups, in particular Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), have increasingly played a central role in delivering assistance to crisis-affected communities.
Alongside this, diaspora networks have also played a critical role in mobilising resources, humanitarian initiatives, global advocacy campaigns, and circulating information with communities in Sudan.
However, despite these factors, engagement with the international humanitarian system has been limited.
The local lifelines project looks at how coordination and information sharing between local actors and international humanitarian structures can be improved to enable greater localised humanitarian action in Sudan.
In March 2025, we published recommendations for developing systematic approaches to information sharing within Sudan's humanitarian response.
Recommendations for systematic information sharing
1. Establish a collaborative platform, focusing at de-centralised level
2. Address structural barriers of language and inclusion
3. Develop standardised information-sharing and communications protocols
4. Implement measures to prevent gatekeeping and ensure equitable access to information.
5. Increase digital inclusion.
6. Enhance data management and analysis capacities.
Roundtable summary notes: discussion with responders to the crisis in Sudan
In February 2025 and December 2024, CDAC Network convened two roundtables on Sudan to share these early findings with ERR, mutual aid groups, diaspora representatives, UN, donors, INGOs and conflict researchers - see the summary notes from the roundtables in English and Arabic below.
February 2025 Sudan roundtable
December 2024 Sudan roundtable
This project was supported with funding from H2H network.