Women’s political participation is regarded as not only desirable but vital to the advancement of gender equality. In light of this, this report explores women’s representation in Sudan. The report also gives details about 'Sudanese Women’s Movement: A Historical Overview'; 'Women’s Representation in Post-Conflict Contexts: the theoretical backdrop to peace building' and 'Perceptions of Gender Equality: women’s issues are politicised'.

Findings include: 

• Muslim female activists are disunited and politicised
• Women in parliament have not been able to bridge the political and religious divides
• Women are continuously and bravely putting women’s issues on the agenda, despite authoritarian constraints
• Conservative Muslim activists do not deem gender equality either necessary or desirable.

Recommendations/ conclusions, include: 

• As long as women are included in political decision-making institutions, their representation will ensure that the situation for all women, from the elite to the grassroots, will improve
• The combination of literacy and practical training persuades more women to participate because they see the potential for economic empowerment alongside the empowerment that literacy brings. 
• The literature on women’s representation has a feminist bias as it wrongly presumes that all women hold common goals about gender equality in public and private spheres of law
• Increased representation of women in parliament has not yet led to substantive representation of women
• Increased representation or “strength in numbers” does not automatically translate into legal reform of discriminatory laws concerning women, that is, if women agree on what is considered discriminatory
• The Women’s groups which are not affiliated with the ruling Islamist party are still at a disadvantage with respect to those with power and control.