On the International Day of Democracy, which falls on September 15th every year, Sudan Rights Watch Network (SRWN) takes a moment of reflection, evaluation, and serious review. This is to renew its firm conviction and its responsible and rigorous stance, in accordance with the policy and methodology of its human rights work at both the public and private levels, that the positive practice of fruitful democratic values is not merely an electoral procedure or a competition for and exchange of power. Rather, it is a system of values and practices upon which the lives of free and ambitious peoples are founded.
Democracy, in its essence, refers to the recognition of human dignity, the guarantee of human rights, and the establishment of a political system that achieves equality, safeguards justice, and allows every individual the opportunity to participate effectively in determining their destiny and shaping their nation’s future.
Through our human rights network, which monitors, documents, and observes human rights in the country, we believe that true democracy is not limited to ballot boxes and electoral contests. Rather, it is manifested in the presence of transparent, accountable institutions, an independent judiciary that guarantees the rule of law, and a free media capable of monitoring power and exposing abuses. A democratic system is also manifested in a strong civil society that plays its role in monitoring, raising awareness, and protecting the most vulnerable groups from violence, exclusion, and marginalization.
From our human rights perspective, democracy is the intersection of rights and duties: the citizen’s right to freedom, justice, and participation, and his duty to respect the law, contribute positively to public affairs, and protect the values of peace and coexistence. It is also an obligation on the state apparatus to create a safe environment that unleashes people’s energies for construction and innovation, and prevents the monopolization of power or the exploitation of resources for the benefit of certain groups at the expense of others.
In the context of the war raging in our country since mid-April 2023, this occasion serves as a wake-up call, reminding us that the absence of the practice of positive and just democratic values and standards has always been a direct cause of the outbreak of wars, the recurrence of crises, the disintegration of the social fabric, and the fueling of conflicts between ethnic groups, accompanied by elite violence.
This day also reminds us that any talk of justice, peace, development, or stability remains an illusion unless it is built on solid democratic foundations and values that uphold equal citizenship, recognize cultural, social, and political diversity, and pave the way for the fair, effective, and productive participation of women, youth, and all marginalized groups in public life.
We, in our grassroots youth rights network, solemnly affirm that the battle for democracy in Sudan today is not merely a political battle or a struggle among elites over the exercise of power. Rather, it is a battle for the survival of the nation itself, and for the preservation of the dignity of the Sudanese people in the face of dictatorship, tyranny, exclusion, the politicization of resources, and the exploitation of civilian suffering. It is a battle to attempt to forge a new social settlement based on participation rather than dictation, on justice rather than favoritism, and on equal rights rather than narrow privileges.
Therefore, as our Sudanese human rights network celebrates this international day, it renews its commitment to working with all societal, political, and human rights forces to consolidate the values of democracy and transform them into living daily practices, not merely an abstract idea or a seasonal occasion. We explicitly call for the unification and concerted efforts to establish the rule of law, activate accountability mechanisms, and build institutions capable of protecting rights and distributing duties fairly, thus opening new horizons for Sudanese men and women to freedom, dignity, and sustainable peace.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
September 15, 2025; Sudan