Oslo — Sudanese women from the North, South and war ravaged western Darfur region, recently buried their religious and political affiliations long enough to present a unity pact calling on the donor community to reflect strong gender responsive principles in the allocation of resources for the country's reconstruction.

Speaking at a Gender Symposium that was held ahead of the recently concluded Oslo Donors' Conference on Sudan, the women were concerned that the Sudan reconstruction might fail to reflect a woman's face in its programmes.

"We as women are celebrating peace and at the same time we are still crying," said a woman delegate at the conference referring to the situation in Darfur.

International donors who participated at the Oslo conference have pledged to avail more than US$ 4.5 billion for the reconstruction of Sudan during the period 2005-2007.

The women are keen to see that a significant share is leveraged towards programmes designed to empower women.

AbuK Payiti, of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) Peace Desk warned although the Sudanese women have arrived at the point where they can speak with one voice, this may be jeopardized if they are not fully integrated in the reconstruction processes.

"Seeing us sisters from the south and north sitting together to talk about our future is a true reflection that peace has come to Sudan. But peace will never be a reality for the majority of women if we are not part of the decision making process."

Reading their recommendations to donors' attending the conference, she and other women said that the resources should directly benefit women and girls from the disadvantaged communities in rural areas.

For Sudanese women from the south, specific areas that require immediate attention are access to basic health and social services; pro-poor economic policies that will improve women's livelihoods and ensure food security, removing gender discrimination in education and training; and urgently confronting rampant gender-based violence.

The Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Noeleen Heyzer who attended both the Gender Symposium and the donor's conference said women should be at the centre of the reconstruction process as they know what it means to live with wars and insecurity.

"Many women and their families have lived for a long time in conditions of extreme poverty without any resources. The rate of literacy is very low especially among girls," said Heyzer.

She called for reflections of strong gender commitments and dimensions in the reconstruction and rebuilding of Sudan.

The Unifem chief further suggested that a gender audit on the reconstruction plan be carried out and an analysis be undertaken on what it means to implement each priority area of the reconstruction programme from a gender perspective.

Some of the critical areas, she added, will involve supporting women's peace building, investing in security and making women central to the constitution-making and governance process as well as ensuring gender justice in all facets of development.

Even though the SPLM is committed to affirmative action where 25 per cent of elective posts in any decision making organ will go to women, there is still more that needs to be done.

Dr John Garang De Mabior, the leader of SPLM while addressing the donors' conference, said that women have been marginalized for a long time.

And for that reason, he added, they will be given special attention in skills development and income generating activities.

"Women will be effectively empowered through girl child education, pro-women government policies," he said, "Only when women are able to bring home respectable incomes alongside their spouses will they be fully become empowered and respected."

But Zanele Mbeki, the first lady of South Africa who was among the delegates said that the issue of capacity building has to be central for women but this should not deter them from taking up decision making posts.

The Norwegian Minister for International Development Hilde F. Johnson observed that even though the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is in place, food and security are not yet in: "Therefore the women of Sudan must be part of the process," she said.

She challenged the government especially the SPLM as the precursor for the Government of Southern Sudan to establish contractual relationships with NGOs and women's organizations to help in effective service delivery on the ground.