Revolutionary infrastructures, gender, and reaction in Sudan: from revolution to war and beyond

Sudan’s revolutionary protest movement was an opportunity to challenge patriarchal social norms and the militarized political marketplace. Youth, and especially young women, led the revolution through creating a revolutionary infrastructure. During the transitional period (2019-2021), youth were sidelined from the political sphere and young women activists were even punished for their strong presence in public spaces, but their voices continued to be heard through decentralized feminist groups across Sudan and street activism, however, the war was the breaking point as it cemented a strong backlash against youth activists while women’s bodies were used as a battlefield. Young women were sold into slavery, subjected to sexual violence, intimidated out of public spaces and forced to give up their freedoms in the name of protection. This paper will look at the revolutionary infrastructure that was weakened by political parties and the military institution during this period in Sudan’s history.