Amplifying Sudanese Women’s and Young People’s Voices at a UK Media Briefing

On 5 February 2026, the Sudan Women Action Group (SWAG) participated in a UK media briefing hosted by Plan International UK, bringing together journalists, policymakers, and humanitarian organisations to address the ongoing crisis in Sudan as the third anniversary of the war approaches.

Representing SWAG, Tagwa Osman spoke on behalf of Sudanese women and young people in the UK and across the diaspora, highlighting the profound human cost of a conflict that remains dangerously underreported.

Many Sudanese women and young people living in the UK carry deep and ongoing grief. Some arrived having fled violence and displacement, while others saw their lives abruptly transformed when war broke out in 2023, leaving them separated from loved ones and struggling to support families trapped in areas with little food, healthcare, or safety. For women and girls, the risks are acute: loss of education, heightened exposure to violence, early marriage, and long-term trauma.

In the UK, including in Scotland where SWAG works closely with communities, Sudanese women—particularly recent arrivals—face insecure immigration status, barriers to employment, isolation, and unaddressed trauma. Young Sudanese people often describe feeling invisible: their conflict overlooked, their pain marginalised, and their futures uncertain, even as they shoulder survivor’s guilt and new responsibilities within their families and communities.

SWAG used the briefing to reaffirm its non-political stance. The organisation does not align with any political party or faction. Its work is guided solely by a commitment to Sudanese lives, dignity, and justice—both inside Sudan and across the diaspora.

The scale of the crisis facing children and young people is staggering. With over 60% of Sudan’s population under the age of 25, Sudan has become the world’s largest child displacement crisis. Millions of children are displaced, many repeatedly, and more than 15 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Yet, as Tagwa noted, the voices of women and young people remain largely excluded from crisis responses, media narratives, and political and diplomatic processes.

Despite this, Sudanese women and young people do not want to be seen only as victims. They are demanding recognition as partners in shaping solutions—across humanitarian action, peacebuilding, policymaking, and media coverage. They are calling for protected education, meaningful inclusion of women in political processes, accountability for atrocities, sustained diplomatic pressure, and long-term international investment in Sudan’s future.

Sudanese women and young people have already demonstrated their leadership and resilience. They were central to the 2018–2019 popular revolution and continue to play vital roles in community organising, advocacy, and humanitarian response. They will be indispensable to any future peace and reconstruction efforts.

At the same time, they seek dignity and opportunity in the UK: the ability to rebuild their lives, contribute their skills, and be heard.

SWAG extends its thanks to Plan International UK, humanitarian partners, the UK Government, and journalists who continue to engage with Sudan. Media attention, when it centres Sudanese voices and humanises the crisis, plays a critical role in ensuring that Sudan is not forgotten.

As this devastating war enters its third year, SWAG will continue to advocate for Sudanese women and young people—amplifying their voices, asserting their agency, and calling for solidarity that listens and acts.