Livelihoods, Power and Choice - The Vulnerability of the Northern Rizaygat, Darfur, Sudan

Livelihoods in Darfur are intimately linked to the conflict, none more so than the livelihoods of the Northern Rizaygat—a group of Arabic- speaking, camel-herding nomads living in the Sudanese states of North, South, and West Darfur.

The research and resultant recommendations have eight broad focuses.We seek to promote:
1. A participatory policy review of pastoralism in order to encourage policy coherence between ministries concerned with pastoral issues and to enable policies to be based on accurate field information and to be grounded in local realities.
2. Space for local and national civil society to develop a comprehensive advocacy strategy on camel pastoralism and the economic importance of the abbala Arabs (to which the Northern Rizaygat belong) to the national economy.Advocacy is vital to reverse processes of exclusion and neglect and to raise local and international awareness.
3. Localization of the peace process and stronger linkages from local- to higher-level peace initiatives. Livelihoods are very often based on ‘mutual’ benefits and locally-negotiated agreements.This experience, and the idea of communal rights based on livelihood groups, should inform higher-level processes and be officially acknowledged.
4. Linkages between pastoralist livelihoods and development: education, health, and women’s development are priorities.
5. Improved accountability, transparency, and responsiveness through building the capacity of such key governance institutions as the Sudanese government’s Pastoral Commission and Women’s Commission.
6. A new generation of leadership by enhancing capacities to understand and articulate local needs and by encouraging civil society development and local
January 2009 • Livelihoods, Power and Choice:The Vulnerability of the Northern Rizaygat, Darfur, Sudan 7
NGOs, and by enabling youth to engage with government authorities and the military.
7. Reversal of processes of militarization linked to livelihoods.
8. Best practice, joint research, and collaborative learning. Interventions must be based on wider regional best practice among pastoralists. Capacities of local universities must be built and mobilized. Local universities need to be assisted in the integration of issues of pastoralism, livelihoods, and conflict in their curricula and in broadening their research agendas in collaboration with national and international institutions.