The Impact of Changing Policies of U.S. Development Agencies on the Role of Youth and Women’s Initiatives and Organizations in Sudan

This study critically examines the consequences of the abrupt suspension of US foreign assistance—particularly USAID funding—on youth-led and women-led civil society initiatives in Sudan during the 2023–2025 conflict period. It examines how funding volatility, exacerbated by geopolitical shifts and domestic policy reorientations, has weakened grassroots humanitarian responses, disrupted gender-focused development programs, and exposed structural imbalances in aid dependency. Drawing on a survey of 32 Sudanese initiatives, a critical development framework, and historical case studies (such as the Toward Enduring Peace in Sudan program), the analysis reveals the fragility of donor-driven models and the resilience of Sudanese civil society actors as they navigate this hostile environment. Using a synthesis of dependency theory, postcolonial critique, and social movement theory, the paper argues for a fundamental realignment of aid toward long-term, decolonial, community-embedded partnerships that prioritise local agency, temporal sustainability, and intersectional inclusion. The findings are urgent for donors and international institutions aiming to support democratic transitions and humanitarian response in conflict-affected regions without reinforcing structural dependency or marginalisation.