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Africa Aware: Emergency Response Rooms: Sudan’s humanitarian lifeline

Chatham House | 2026-04-12 | africa

Topics: Africa

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English Summary

The Chatham House analysis highlights the critical role of grassroots, volunteer-led mutual aid groups, known as Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), in sustaining civilian life across Sudan since the 2023 conflict. These efforts are rooted in the local tradition of 'nafeer' (collective action), with Sudanese women playing a particularly vital role in providing medical and psychosocial support, especially against gender-based violence. The report emphasizes that these local responses are indispensable to the wider international humanitarian effort. Policymakers must therefore prioritize continued advocacy and direct support for these resilient, community-driven initiatives to ensure sustained humanitarian lifelines.

中文摘要

查塔姆學會的分析強調，自2023年衝突以來，以社區為基礎、由志願者主導的互助群體，即「緊急應對室」（ERRs），在維持蘇丹平民生活方面扮演了關鍵角色。這些努力植根於當地「nafeer」（集體行動）的傳統，其中蘇丹女性在提供醫療和心理社會支持方面發揮了特別重要的作用，尤其是在應對性別暴力方面。該報告強調，這些地方性的應對措施對於更廣泛的國際人道救援工作是不可或缺的。因此，政策制定者必須將持續倡導和直接支持這些具韌性、由社區驅動的倡議，作為優先事項，以確保人道生命線的持續運作。

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