MANSAM
MANSAM is a Sudanese coalition of women's political, civic, civil-society and youth groups that became active during the Sudanese Revolution.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
MANSAM, also known as Women of Sudanese Civic and Political Groups, is a Sudanese alliance that brought together women's political organisations, civil-society groups, youth groups and individual activists. It emerged in August 2018 through coordination among Sudanese women organising around rights and political participation. In its early phase, participants communicated through WhatsApp and met privately, reflecting both the need for flexible coordination and the restrictive political environment under Omar al-Bashir's government. MANSAM became prominent during the Sudanese Revolution, which began with mass protests in December 2018. The coalition was among the signatories of the 1 January 2019 declaration that established the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), a broad opposition alliance of civil organisations, professional networks and political parties. The FFC became a principal coordinating force during the revolutionary period and negotiations over Sudan's political transition. Arrests of MANSAM members in 2019 further highlighted the risks faced by women activists and strengthened the coalition's public profile. A central concern for MANSAM was the gap between women's participation in the street movement and their representation in formal political institutions. During negotiations between the Transitional Military Council and the FFC in July 2019, MANSAM argued that women had been excluded despite their major role in the protests. It also objected in August 2019 to what it described as inadequate female representation in proposed transitional institutions, calling for women to hold at least half of leadership positions. The coalition said that it had submitted qualified nominations through FFC channels but that its nominees were not reflected in the final proposed lists. MANSAM's advocacy received international attention when activist Alaa Salah, speaking as a MANSAM member, addressed the United Nations Security Council on 29 October 2019. She argued that women had often made up a large majority of protesters but were being sidelined in the construction of transitional governance. Her intervention called for gender parity and for a more inclusive political process involving civil society, resistance groups, minorities, displaced people and people with disabilities. She also connected women's political inclusion with accountability, disarmament and sustainable peace. The coalition later expanded substantially. Reference material describes it as having grown into Sudan's largest women's coalition, with approximately fifty participating women's groups, including organisations linked to political parties. Its breadth gave MANSAM a platform across ideological and organisational boundaries, but political affiliations also created internal tensions. In April 2022, women associated with the Sudan Revolutionary Front reportedly left, criticising the coalition for insufficient attention to national peace, peripheral regions and non-Khartoum perspectives. MANSAM rejected or countered those criticisms, including claims concerning participants' conduct around the 2021 coup. MANSAM's later organisational status is not clearly established in the available material. It remains best understood as a political and civic coalition rather than a consumer-facing commercial brand. Its historical significance lies in bringing together Sudanese women's organisations during the revolution and in publicly challenging the exclusion of women from transitional decision-making, while its internal debates illustrate the difficulty of maintaining a cross-party women's alliance during a volatile political transition.
History
MANSAM began in August 2018 as an informal coordination among Sudanese women organising for political and civic rights. Participants communicated through WhatsApp and met in private homes, creating a network that could operate despite the constraints of Sudan's authoritarian political environment. Rather than functioning as a single party or membership organisation, MANSAM brought together multiple women's groups, civil-society organisations, youth groups and independent individuals. Its importance grew during the Sudanese Revolution, which started with nationwide protests in December 2018. MANSAM signed the 1 January 2019 declaration that formed the Forces of Freedom and Change, the broad alliance that coordinated much of the opposition to the government and later negotiated with the Transitional Military Council. The detention of MANSAM members during 2019 demonstrated the risks associated with the coalition's activism and contributed to its visibility within the wider revolutionary movement. MANSAM's principal political argument was that women's participation in the revolution had not translated into equivalent influence over the transition. In July 2019, while military and civilian representatives negotiated the shape of the transition, MANSAM publicly objected that women were absent from the talks. The coalition subsequently campaigned against the limited presence of women in proposed transitional institutions. In August it called for a minimum of 50 percent female representation in senior government roles and criticised FFC leaders for failing to use the women's nominations that had been submitted through professional and civic channels. The issue was also raised internationally. On 29 October 2019, Alaa Salah addressed the United Nations Security Council as a member of MANSAM. She described the contrast between women's major role in demonstrations and their marginal position in formal political structures, and argued that there was no justification for excluding women from decision-making. Her remarks also linked representation to judicial accountability, disarmament and a peace process that included civil society, resistance groups, minorities, displaced communities and people with disabilities. Over time, MANSAM expanded into a large umbrella coalition. Accounts describe participation by roughly fifty women's groups, including several organisations connected to political parties. Its listed participants included the Sudanese Women's Union, No to Oppression against Women Initiative, Sudanese Political Women's Association, Sudanese Women's Platform, Sudanese Women Journalists Network, Female Lawyers Without Borders, Female Lawyers for Change, New Sudan Women's Union, Women against Injustice, Women against High Prices, families of the martyrs of the 28 Ramadan Movement, and women affiliated with several Sudanese political movements and parties. The coalition's breadth also produced difficult internal negotiations. Earlier Sudanese women's movements had often been closely associated with political parties, and MANSAM faced the challenge of maintaining a shared women's-rights agenda among participants with different political commitments. In April 2022, women from the Sudan Revolutionary Front left the alliance, arguing that it did not sufficiently support peace across Sudan, gave too much weight to Khartoum politics and was being used by some individuals for personal political advancement. MANSAM responded with counterclaims concerning the departing members and their relationship to the 2021 coup. Analysts and activists also debated whether MANSAM was becoming a route into political office rather than primarily a rights-lobbying organisation. Available reference material does not establish a definitive later organisational status, so its present activity remains unclear.
- 2022
Sudan Revolutionary Front women's representatives withdraw
[1]Women linked to the Sudan Revolutionary Front leave MANSAM amid disagreements over peace, regional inclusion and political priorities.
- 2019
MANSAM joins the founding declaration of the Forces of Freedom and Change
[1]The coalition signs the 1 January declaration that creates the broad opposition alliance central to the Sudanese Revolution.
- 2019
MANSAM challenges the exclusion of women from transition talks
[1]MANSAM raises the absence of women in negotiations between the Transitional Military Council and civilian forces.
- 2019
MANSAM demands 50 percent female representation
[1]The coalition objects to proposed transitional appointments and calls for women to hold at least half of leadership positions.
- 2019
Alaa Salah speaks at the United Nations Security Council
[1]Speaking as a MANSAM member, Salah advocates equal political representation and an inclusive, accountable transition.
- 2018
MANSAM is formed
[1]Sudanese women organising for rights begin coordinating through MANSAM in August, initially using WhatsApp and private-home meetings.
Products and positioning
A cross-organisational women's civic and political coalition advocating women's rights, equal representation, inclusive governance and accountability in Sudan.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Women's representation in the Sudanese transition
Sudan · International political institutions
MANSAM campaigned for women to participate fully in negotiations and transitional institutions, arguing that women's substantial role in the revolution justified equal representation in government and political decision-making.
Outcome. The advocacy helped secure at least some female participation in the negotiations, but the coalition stated that representation remained well below its demand for parity.
- 2019Inclusive peace and accountability advocacy
Sudan · International political institutions
Through public statements and Alaa Salah's Security Council intervention, MANSAM called for judicial accountability, disarmament and a political process inclusive of women, civil society, resistance groups, minorities, displaced people and people with disabilities.
Brand decisions
2022
Dispute over regional inclusion and political orientationStrategyBackground
Women from the Sudan Revolutionary Front argued that MANSAM did not sufficiently support peace across Sudan and focused too heavily on Khartoum politics.
Action taken
The SRF-linked participants withdrew from MANSAM, while MANSAM issued counteraccusations concerning the departing participants and the 2021 coup.
Aftermath
The dispute exposed tensions within a coalition whose members had different regional and political affiliations. The available material does not establish the coalition's subsequent organisational condition.
2019
MANSAM adopts a parity-based representation demandStrategyBackground
Women played a prominent role in the Sudanese Revolution, but MANSAM said they were being excluded from formal negotiations and transitional appointments.
Action taken
The coalition called for women to occupy at least 50 percent of leadership roles and urged women's organisations, politicians and allies to advocate publicly for equal representation.
Aftermath
A woman participated in the negotiations after advocacy by women's groups, although broader representation remained below MANSAM's parity goal.
Recent events
- 2022
Women from the Sudan Revolutionary Front leave MANSAM[1]
Leadership change · Other
Women associated with the Sudan Revolutionary Front reportedly withdrew from MANSAM, citing concerns about its approach to national peace, peripheral Sudan and the alleged personal use of the coalition by some participants.
- 2019
MANSAM signs the declaration creating the Forces of Freedom and Change[1]
Other
MANSAM was one of the signatories to the 1 January declaration that established the Forces of Freedom and Change, a major opposition alliance during the Sudanese Revolution.
- 2019
MANSAM protests women's exclusion from transition negotiations[1]
Campaign
During negotiations between the Transitional Military Council and civilian forces, MANSAM said women had been excluded despite their prominent role in the protests. Its advocacy was followed by the participation of a woman in the negotiations.
- 2019
MANSAM calls for gender parity in Sudan's transitional institutions[1]
Campaign · Regulation
MANSAM criticised the proposed representation of women in the Sovereignty Council and transitional cabinet and called for women to occupy at least 50 percent of leadership positions.
- 2019
Alaa Salah presents MANSAM's case for women's inclusion at the United Nations Security Council[1]
Campaign
On 29 October, Alaa Salah spoke at a Security Council meeting as a MANSAM member, urging gender parity, accountability, disarmament and an inclusive Sudanese political process.
- 2018
MANSAM emerges as a coordinating network for Sudanese women[1]
Other
Women organising around rights began coordinating through MANSAM in August 2018, using private meetings and messaging platforms to connect activists and organisations.
Sources1 sources
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