1,720,970 research outputs found
Parenting experiences of formerly abducted young mothers in post-conflict Northern Uganda
Full text linkParenting is a universal responsibility worldwide and the basis for better future generations. In other words, the future is in parents' hands; the way the next generation is going to be largely depends on how parents experience parenting. The phenomenon of child soldiers remains prominent in more than 86 different countries. Northern Uganda has seen the brutal involvement of child soldiers during the decades-long civil war between the rebellious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF). It was estimated that 30% to 40% of child soldiers in Uganda were girls and most of them were compelled into forced marriages with LRA commanders. In the last decade, with the conflict on the wane, more and more Former Child Soldiers (FCS) have returned to their villages: female FCS returned with children resulted of forced sexual relationships, explaining the reason why they are called Formerly Abducted Young Mothers (FAYM). The aim of the study was to examine FAYM's parenting experiences ranging from the time they were captive (in the bush) to the time of resettlement and reintegration in their former communities. In particular, the study focuses on three specific issues: 1) parenting practices among FAYM; 2) challenges FAYM experienced and 3) support, which FAYM received towards their parenting. FAYM constituted the main participants in the study. The other participants in the study were NGOs staff. Data for this study were collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions. The data were analysed according to a combined approach, including: Template Analysis and Narrative Analysis. The interpretation was based on Bronfenbrenner's Ecological model and the Inglehart and Welzel's Cultural Map. Various ethical considerations such as informed consent and confidentiality were adhered to while conducting this study. The results of this study were 1) from captivity to resettlement, parenting practices underwent a shift from focusing on mere survival needs to value education and life teachings; 2) FAYM found parenting more challenging and complicated once they returned to civil society; 3) formal and informal supports were present, but quite strained and scattered, moreover almost no public welfare services or programs were available targeted at well-being of FAYM, nor at their parenting
Youth participation in peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: opportunities and challenges
Full text linkBetween 1986 and 2006 Northern Uganda was affected by one of the longest running
and most brutal armed conflicts in the African history of the 20th century. Despite
Ugandan government and NGO efforts the Acholi youth remain a marginalised group
in society. The overall youth situation according to the literature is drastic: acute
poverty, high unemployment, low literacy rates, socio-economic and political
exclusion. Youth play a pivotal role, either they can threaten peace, or can be catalyst
for peace and peacebuilding. This qualitative study explored opportunities and
challenges for Acholi youth participation in peacebuilding activities. To gain insight
into the findings a power analysis with regard to spaces for participation and levels of
decision-making was applied. Through four interviews and four Focus Group
Discussions with youth actively engaged in peacebuilding, young people described
economic marginalisation and lack of awareness as the main challenges to their
participation. The youth explicated their opportunities for participation as local and
accessible, for example awareness raising on peace issues through drama and
dialogues about main conflict drivers. Four interviews with NGO staff contrasted the
youth’s experiences, and provided a fuller picture of existing power relations. Both,
opportunities and challenges for youth participation are framed by negative youth
perceptions and stereotypes from the Acholi community, and the youth’s
internalisation of this. Despite of the collective stigmatisation of youth, a gradual
change towards appreciation and dialogue has taken place where youth’s impact
through their peacebuilding activities was felt. Finally, the study recommends to
consider economic empowerment as a mechanism for greater youth participation. If
youth are given or create space they positively use it to contribute to, or even to
promote greater participation in peacebuilding
Youth participation in peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: opportunities and challenges
Full text linkBetween 1986 and 2006 Northern Uganda was affected by one of the longest running
and most brutal armed conflicts in the African history of the 20th century. Despite
Ugandan government and NGO efforts the Acholi youth remain a marginalised group
in society. The overall youth situation according to the literature is drastic: acute
poverty, high unemployment, low literacy rates, socio-economic and political
exclusion. Youth play a pivotal role, either they can threaten peace, or can be catalyst
for peace and peacebuilding. This qualitative study explored opportunities and
challenges for Acholi youth participation in peacebuilding activities. To gain insight
into the findings a power analysis with regard to spaces for participation and levels of
decision-making was applied. Through four interviews and four Focus Group
Discussions with youth actively engaged in peacebuilding, young people described
economic marginalisation and lack of awareness as the main challenges to their
participation. The youth explicated their opportunities for participation as local and
accessible, for example awareness raising on peace issues through drama and
dialogues about main conflict drivers. Four interviews with NGO staff contrasted the
youth’s experiences, and provided a fuller picture of existing power relations. Both,
opportunities and challenges for youth participation are framed by negative youth
perceptions and stereotypes from the Acholi community, and the youth’s
internalisation of this. Despite of the collective stigmatisation of youth, a gradual
change towards appreciation and dialogue has taken place where youth’s impact
through their peacebuilding activities was felt. Finally, the study recommends to
consider economic empowerment as a mechanism for greater youth participation. If
youth are given or create space they positively use it to contribute to, or even to
promote greater participation in peacebuilding
Parenting experiences of formerly abducted young mothers in post-conflict Northern Uganda
No full textParenting is a universal responsibility worldwide and the basis for better future generations. In other words, the future is in parents' hands; the way the next generation is going to be largely depends on how parents experience parenting. The phenomenon of child soldiers remains prominent in more than 86 different countries. Northern Uganda has seen the brutal involvement of child soldiers during the decades-long civil war between the rebellious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF). It was estimated that 30% to 40% of child soldiers in Uganda were girls and most of them were compelled into forced marriages with LRA commanders. In the last decade, with the conflict on the wane, more and more Former Child Soldiers (FCS) have returned to their villages: female FCS returned with children resulted of forced sexual relationships, explaining the reason why they are called Formerly Abducted Young Mothers (FAYM). The aim of the study was to examine FAYM's parenting experiences ranging from the time they were captive (in the bush) to the time of resettlement and reintegration in their former communities. In particular, the study focuses on three specific issues: 1) parenting practices among FAYM; 2) challenges FAYM experienced and 3) support, which FAYM received towards their parenting. FAYM constituted the main participants in the study. The other participants in the study were NGOs staff. Data for this study were collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions. The data were analysed according to a combined approach, including: Template Analysis and Narrative Analysis. The interpretation was based on Bronfenbrenner's Ecological model and the Inglehart and Welzel's Cultural Map. Various ethical considerations such as informed consent and confidentiality were adhered to while conducting this study. The results of this study were 1) from captivity to resettlement, parenting practices underwent a shift from focusing on mere survival needs to value education and life teachings; 2) FAYM found parenting more challenging and complicated once they returned to civil society; 3) formal and informal supports were present, but quite strained and scattered, moreover almost no public welfare services or programs were available targeted at well-being of FAYM, nor at their parenting
A study of children’s participation in peacebuilding in a post- conflict society: a case study of peace clubs in Gulu, Uganda
Full text linkThe general aim of the study was to get an understanding how children participate in peacebuilding and how it is supported in a post-conflict society like Gulu. Gathering information in Gulu, Northern Uganda approached this aim. The four components that together created the “understanding” were; the actions the children took towards creating peace in their own surroundings and the sort of effects these actions had, children and adults interacting in peacebuilding, challenges that children participating in peacebuilding faced; Partners working with children participating in peacebuilding and the kind of support they provided.
The data collection was done through eight focus groups; in addition four key informant interviews were conducted with open-end questions. The focus group contained a mix of three different tools; body-map, timeline and Venn diagram. The tools have been adapted to peacebuilding by Save the Children for children to evaluate their own level of participation in peacebuilding. The results from the tools together with transcriptions from the focus groups and the key informant interview were analysed through a thematic analysis. The themes presented and interpreted were; peacebuilding activities, changes towards peaceful behaviour (past and present), adult perceptions of children’s participation, support from the church and the local community to the peace clubs, challenges and significance of participation.
These themes all presented different captions of how peace clubs in Gulu interacted. The activities, actions and cognitive state of the children linked to peacebuilding formed various pictures of what peacebuilding is. Participation was a constant negotiation between adults and children. The children’s perception was influenced by war and cultural circumstance. Support to children’s work with peacebuilding is coherent with their activity agenda; which caused speculation about the level of children’s participation in peacebuilding in Gulu.
Recommendations for further studies; to investigate more about the local networks around peacebuilding in areas similar to Gulu; measure and evaluate, to what extent, the effect of child participation has on the personal growth of a child and how that growth reaches and effects the community; to assess the similarities between child and adult, a study of the adults’ vision of participation should be introduced over a continuous period of time; investigate how the UNCRC article 12.1 limits but also enhances children’s participation. Finally, where recommendation to increase children’s participation in peacebuilding has been taken, a study of the Gulu community’s peacebulding work is required. This studies aim is to assist, guide and hopefully to ensure a continuing path to a peaceful society
A study of children’s participation in peacebuilding in a post- conflict society: a case study of peace clubs in Gulu, Uganda
Full text linkThe general aim of the study was to get an understanding how children participate in peacebuilding and how it is supported in a post-conflict society like Gulu. Gathering information in Gulu, Northern Uganda approached this aim. The four components that together created the “understanding” were; the actions the children took towards creating peace in their own surroundings and the sort of effects these actions had, children and adults interacting in peacebuilding, challenges that children participating in peacebuilding faced; Partners working with children participating in peacebuilding and the kind of support they provided.
The data collection was done through eight focus groups; in addition four key informant interviews were conducted with open-end questions. The focus group contained a mix of three different tools; body-map, timeline and Venn diagram. The tools have been adapted to peacebuilding by Save the Children for children to evaluate their own level of participation in peacebuilding. The results from the tools together with transcriptions from the focus groups and the key informant interview were analysed through a thematic analysis. The themes presented and interpreted were; peacebuilding activities, changes towards peaceful behaviour (past and present), adult perceptions of children’s participation, support from the church and the local community to the peace clubs, challenges and significance of participation.
These themes all presented different captions of how peace clubs in Gulu interacted. The activities, actions and cognitive state of the children linked to peacebuilding formed various pictures of what peacebuilding is. Participation was a constant negotiation between adults and children. The children’s perception was influenced by war and cultural circumstance. Support to children’s work with peacebuilding is coherent with their activity agenda; which caused speculation about the level of children’s participation in peacebuilding in Gulu.
Recommendations for further studies; to investigate more about the local networks around peacebuilding in areas similar to Gulu; measure and evaluate, to what extent, the effect of child participation has on the personal growth of a child and how that growth reaches and effects the community; to assess the similarities between child and adult, a study of the adults’ vision of participation should be introduced over a continuous period of time; investigate how the UNCRC article 12.1 limits but also enhances children’s participation. Finally, where recommendation to increase children’s participation in peacebuilding has been taken, a study of the Gulu community’s peacebulding work is required. This studies aim is to assist, guide and hopefully to ensure a continuing path to a peaceful society
Women and Liberal Peacebuilding in Post- Conflict Northern Uganda: community social work agenda revisited?
Full text linkThis paper examines women’s participation in post-conflict peacebuilding activities within the neo-liberal peace theory and framework. Using qualitative approach, the study gathered information from 40 women and several key informants working and living in post-conflict northern Uganda. The paper utilizes this information in reflecting on how women live in and engage with their communities in post-conflict settings, and also assess the actual actions and initiatives that women develop in post-conflict situation, the space available to them and the emergent context. The paper also analyses the extent to which these factors shape community post-conflict adjustments. Key challenges affecting women’s participation in the peacebuilding processes, mainly at grassroots and community levels are examined. The major conclusion of the paper is that liberal peacebuilding approach does not fully espouse, embrace or explain issues of critical consciousness, social and strategic agency nor does it prepare the women to effectively engage their society. I argue that this limitation and omission do not adequately prepare women to confront social issues and oppressive practices as well as challenge certain traditions and power structures, issues that are hall marks of community based social work
Implications for HIV responsive policy and programming
No full textFood and nutritional insecurity coexists with high HIV prevalence rates in war-affected communities in the north and northeastern regions of Uganda. Women and especially female children are disproportionately affected. Gender relations underpin the interaction between AIDS and food insecurity, though there is limited documentation on the influence of conflict and displacement on gender relations and how they may exacerbate household food insecurity and risk of HIV infection. There is also limited understanding of the extent to which Uganda’s current policies and programs address the complex issues involved in gender, HIV, and food insecurity in IDP camps.Non-PRIFPRI1; GRP33; RENEWALFCN
Gender dimensions, food security, and HIV and AIDS in internally displaced people’s (IDPs) camps in Uganda: Implications for HIV-Responsive policy and programming
No full textThis study set out to investigate in specific terms how gender relations influence the interaction between food insecurity and HIV/AIDS in two armed conflict-affected districts, Gulu, in northern Uganda and Katakwi. The study largely embraced qualitative and ethnographic approaches of investigation supplemented by quantitative approaches. An exploratory and descriptive study design largely applying an ethnographic approach was employed. This facilitated the research team to gain a clear understanding of the local meanings and contextual issues that influence interactions between gender, food insecurity, and risky sexual behavior in situations of internal displacement. Quantitative variables were also generated from the ethnographic phase of the study
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