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JRP Holds National Conference on SGBV Redress Mechanism

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PRESS RELEASE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
GULU – On Friday, March 22, 2019, Justice and Reconciliation Project with Funding from Trust Africa, under the auspices of the International Criminal Justice Fund will hold a national dialogue on SGBV redress mechanism in the capital Kampala.
The event shall take place at the Parliamentary lounge (conference hall under the theme;
“Ensuring that the appropriate strategies are used by the central government in meeting the needs of conflict-affected SGBV victims in northern Uganda’’

The objectives are as follows;

  • Inform the central government on the specific needs of the victims of conflict SGBV in Northern Uganda.
  • Strengthening policy and programs regarding re-construction, in order to address the transitional challenges affecting conflict SGBV victims.
  • Developing appropriate strategies tailored towards meeting the transitional justice needs of war-affected women and children in Northern Uganda.

The conference followed an earlier regional dialogue that was held in October 2018 between conflicts SGBV victims of local Government Officials from Greater Northern Uganda.

There were common positions that were agreed at in addressing the transitional gaps of war-affected women and their children.

In moving the debate to a national level and in concretizing the motion moved and adopted in parliament on 13th, the victim’s community from the four sub-regions; Acholi, Teso, Lango and West Nile who were affected by war together with leaders from greater northern Uganda will also be given opportunity to share their specific needs and strategies that the central government can adapt to ensure access to justice and reparation to the affected women and their children.
Building upon lessons learned from the regional dialogue, leaders from the local government will again be given a platform to share:-

  • Possible programs that can help in the reconstruction of the lives of victims of SGBV which central government can adopt
  • Challenges local government officials face in working with partners and the victims’ community which central government should support them with
  • Different strategies that can be adapted to meet the TJ needs of conflict-affected SGBV victims in Northern Uganda

The conference is expected to bring together a diversity of participants including local government leaders, the central government leaders, CSOs/ NGOs, members of parliament, the victim’s communities to discuss issues that are closed to their hearts.

To join the conversation at the National Conference, interested participants are asked to follow us on Facebook, facebook@justiceandreconciliation.com, twitter: @talk_ug

The Justice and Reconciliation Project Goes Abroad: An Update on International Travel and Collaboration

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WAN Chair Evelyn Amony and JRP Board Chair Michael Otim at the United Nations Security Council . Photo courtesy of Erin Baines.

Justice and Reconciliation Project staff is often on the road, driving long distances and engaging with grassroots communities throughout Uganda’s northern region. In October and November of this year, travel was also international, as two JRP officials participated in programs overseas.

Women’s Advocacy Network Chair Evelyn Amony journeyed to New York City, as she was invited by the Government of Poland to address members of the United Nations Security Council. Mrs. Amony was accompanied by JRP board chair Michael Otim and University of British Columbia Professor and JRP advisor, Dr. Erin Baines.

She shared her experiences in Lord’s Resistance Army Captivity, while also illuminating a path for the future. Specifically, Mrs. Amony told United Nations members about the importance of child tracing in post-conflict Uganda, a process through which children born of war are reunited with their families.

“It is the right of the child to know his paternal home,” Mrs. Amony said. In Acholi culture, identity and heritage are passed through the male line. Following, child tracing programs establish a previously lost sense of identity. Regardless of whether children are reunited on the maternal or paternal side, such work also alleviates many of the brutal challenges they face, providing security, the resources for an education and even land to cultivate. By supporting children now, non-profit organizations and government bodies can build the Uganda of tomorrow.

Mrs. Amony claims that her presence at the United Nations meeting was a powerful step towards a more inclusive vison of social justice, in which all voices are welcome and heard. “There is the thinking that only people who are educated should be invited in such a meeting, which I am not,” she said.  “I know that in life there are ups and downs. What I went through is not determining what I should do, that has passed. It is not about education per say, it’s about the person you are.”

Meanwhile, JRP head of office Mr.  Okwir Isaac Odiya traveled to Switzerland, to take part in Geneva Peace Week. There, he spoke on the importance of child reintegration in global peace and security measures. He also attended a meeting on Victims’ Rights organized by the Office of the Ambassador of Ireland and Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice in The Hague. He joined a panel and elaborated on the ways in which local justice mechanisms can complement the International Criminal Court.

Like Mrs. Amony, Mr. Odiya advocated for inclusivity, making powerful, international organizations and government officials aware of local initiatives.  According to Mr. Odiya local non-profits, deeply entrenched in the community, have the best understanding of community needs, but do not always have the resources to fulfill their mandate.  International organizations have those resources, but often lack inside knowledge. Thus, true partnership and collaboration are crucial going forward.

Following the trip, and back at the JRP offices in Gulu Town, Mr. Odiya spoke about the dynamics of such collaboration in depth.  “The international bodies should first come to the local partners, should come to the grassroots people. . . to understand what they are doing and then build on what [locals] have already started,” Mr. Odiya said.

Specifically, he called for research and continued international workshops, in order to create a culture of mutual learning and support. “I would love the international organizations or bodies to partner with local organizations like Justice and Reconciliation Project to build momentum.” he said.  He continued on to explain that local and international organizations can work together to implement a variety of protocols, creating a more holistic approach to transitional justice practices.

Mr. Odiya made clear that the need is urgent, and these partnerships should be established with haste. He spoke of war wounds untreated, of bullets buried deep in flesh, of burns from bombings and of women afflicted with fistulas, the final aliment a result of wartime sexual and gender based violence. Many conflict survivors still await treatment, as the national transitional justice process lags, despite the pressing nature of these medical issues. Thus, he hopes to build on the awareness created at international meetings, in order to address key challenges as soon as possible.

Both meetings paved the way for collaboration and Mrs. Amony and Mr. Odiya remain pleased with the outcome. JRP will continue to promote inclusivity and grassroots work. Moreover, it looks forward to building strong relationships with global partners in order to effectively meet the needs of the community.

Local Leaders Commit to Aiding Survivors of Conflict at JRP Hosted Regional Dialogue

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Local leaders divide into smaller groups in order to best discuss strategies to support survivors of conflict. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
Local leaders divide into smaller groups in order to best discuss strategies to support survivors of conflict. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.

The Mayor of Pader Town Council, Kilama Fearless Wodacholi, folded his hands and leaned across the table. “It touched me so much that my country has not yet done enough for [the survivors], he said. “It touched me that a lot of them say the war has not ended. It is only the silence of the guns.”

Mr. Wodacholi had just come from a regional dialogue, organized by the Justice and Reconciliation Project. The meeting took place on Wednesday, October 31st and brought together local leaders from across Northern Uganda, as well as victims’ representatives. Almost 90 people attended. It was sponsored by the Trust Africa Fund and hosted at Global Friendship Hotel in Gulu Town. The goal was to discuss the challenges victims currently face, and come up with comprehensive strategies to tackle those challenges, ahead of a national conference in January.

Post -conflict restoration is an oft forgotten battle-ground.  Wars finish with an exodus. Weapons are laid away, journalists turn off their cameras and aid organizations depart. Yet, peacetime brings its own set of obstacles, and the world turns a blind eye. The exodus complete, national and international attention is diverted to problems considered more pressing.

Wednesday’s regional dialogue empowered survivors to be activists, as they illuminated post conflict issues and demanded action. A woman identified as Winnie spoke passionately about the trauma latent in her community. Many of her fellow abductees have never received counseling or medical care. They still carry the burdens of war. Daily torment rubs salt in these wounds. She described being taunted when she left her home; her movements restricted. She also claimed that there have been few initiatives to support survivors. “Our very leaders are fighting us. Do we still belong to the community, or have they rejected us?” Winnie asked. Her voice rose and her eyes were wet.

Another woman, called Lily, explained how stigma is passed on to the next generation. Children born in captivity are punished for the simple fact of their existence. Some are bullied by their classmates and teachers to the extent that they stop attending school. “They stay in fear,” she said.

Leaders were moved. “There has been a gap,” said Abia Sub-County Chief, Sylvia Ometo. “We have not been following up on our women and girls who have come back from captivity . . . when I go back [home] I will give special concern to them.”

Leaders spent the rest of the meeting developing blueprints for change. They discussed using existing structures, such as the radio, community gatherings and the church to promote acceptance, and implanting livelihood initiatives to alleviate poverty. They also spoke of gathering data on how many former abductees exist in their communities, in order to better understand the problem and allocate aid.

There were also calls to push for an act of parliament, and to support survivors of conflict via affirmative action. “The most painful thing on earth is the memory of what you saw,” said Mr. Wodacholi. “Being a slave in your own land is a very painful moment . . . to reduce the suffering of these young people, and to give them hope, there must be an act of parliament.”

Leaders took careful notes, while brainstorming new stratagies. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
Leaders took careful notes, while brainstorming new strategies. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.

Rampant corruption, however, impedes change, particularly at the national level. “For long are we going to pretend that we are standing for the plight of vulnerable persons?” asked Chairmen LCV of Omoro, Peter Douglas Okello. He added, “We must make the parliament and government accountable to the citizens. We must have a government that is accountable to the people.” He spoke at the official close of the meeting and appealed to the collective audience.

Later, standing in the bright sun outside of the hotel, Mr. Okello recalled his time as the District Speaker of Gulu. He presided over a petition submitted to parliament by WAN. Parliament deliberated over the document, but there has been no action from the central government of Uganda. That was nearly five years ago. He indicated that in addition this stalemate, the state of corruption in Uganda is such that services are poorly delivered and money is misspent. Mr. Okello called ardently for action. “The government of Uganda and the development partners all over the world need to review the development agenda for Northern Uganda, to focus on post-conflict recovery, transformation and development,” he said.

On the whole, leaders considered the meeting a success, and remained optimistic about future proceedings. Lapono Sub-County Chief, Akullu Margaret Otto, claimed that leaders will now, “advocate so much that [survivors] should be treated as our own people.”

JRP will continue to work directly with vulnerable communities and with officials in order to develop the strategies discussed, and will bring those strategies to the national conference in January.

A previous version of this article stated that the WAN petition was submitted to parliament seven years ago, rather than five. JRP deeply regrets this error.

Economic Empowerment and Community Building in Lapono

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The villages of Lapono sub-county are hidden among imposing rock formations, and fields of sunflowers and banana plants. In late afternoons, children bathe in the rivers along the red dirt roadside and cattle graze. This is now a peaceful place, but it was the site of a horrific 2002 massacre by the Lord’s Resistance Army. While the war is long over, the memory is fresh and abductees face daily stigma.

On Tuesday September 4, select residents of Lapono were trained in goat rearing. They will receive 38 goats in the coming month. This is part of a larger initiative by the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) and the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN), reaching communities in five areas previously affected by conflict. The goal is to economically empower survivors of wartime sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), many of whom still lack crucial resources. JRP has created groups of survivors, all of whom also belong to WAN, and taught leadership and group dynamics, providing both communal and finical support.

District veterinarian Richard Otema met with Lapono group members and JRP representatives in the village center. After the group had prayed, he explained how to breed and care for goats, emphasizing the importance of keeping the animals clean and recognizing certain diseases.

Dr. Otema said it was his first time working with returnees and he found the experience enlightening. He is eager to continue supporting the community. “After giving the goats there should be regular check-ins and treatment,” he said. Furthermore, if the group proves successful Dr. Otema will work with the sub-county to provide more goats for cross-breeding.

Dr. Otema teaches reminds participants of the importance of keeping goats clean and healthy.
Dr. Otema reminds participants of the importance of keeping goats clean and healthy.

Group members listened intently, taking notes and pausing only to share sweet tea and a simple lunch. Many wore shirts from JRP, bearing the slogan, “Speak up and Act, SGBV is Real.” Others brought children who wandered between the training classroom and the meadow outside.

Participants are eager to use the income generated from goat rearing to better their communities and lives. Plans include sending children to school, saving to buy a cow to plow fields and even romance. One member hopes to get married, once his goats have mated and multiplied.

Following the training, participants expressed gratitude for JRP. One man said, “I want to thank JRP for coming to support vulnerable women and children, because there was a massacre in Lapano and many people died.” He added that he hopes the project can be expanded. Another resident claimed that the training and group will help to combat other issues in the village, such as domestic violence. He said, “The training is proof that there is reconciliation in the community.”

The group ended their meeting just as it had begun: joined in prayer. They returned the next day for additional lessons in financial planning, provided by members of the JRP staff. These trainings will enable both the group and individuals to save money with purpose, and continue to work towards a bright future. Members remained engaged and eager to learn throughout the training; a clear sign of progress and hope in the Lapono.

Transforming Ordinary Community Members into Agents of Change

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The last two weeks marked the end of yet another successful training block of six Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) groups in the sub-counties of Lapono, Dzaipi, Namokora, Soroti, Abia and Abok. Each group consisted of a two-day training funded by Trust Africa to promote SGBV responsiveness, and Welfare Fund for its Livelihood project emphasising the importance of leadership skills and group dynamics.

JRP Head of Office Isaac Okwir, Odong Kizito Program Manager of Stir Education, Unzimay Ronald of Danish Refugee Council and Senior Empowerment Manager Akidi Brenda Nancy of Thrive, facilitated the SGBV responsiveness training sessions. The Community Development Officer of each sub-county facilitated the second day on leadership skills and group dynamics. This is to ensure that each group is introduced to their local community leader to foster a working relationship in case of arising concerns.

The first day addressed a variety of issues including indicators of sexual violence human rights, the distinction between gender and sex and SGBV responsiveness and prevention. The second day addressed leadership skills and group dynamics—specifically, leadership roles, qualities of a good leader, communication skills and conflict management. The participants also gained practical skills including implementing bi-laws, requirements for group registration, recordkeeping, and opening a joint bank account.

Despite traveling long distances, the participants were thoroughly satisfied with the training and gained invaluable insight into SGBV-related issues. The training more importantly instilled in them the confidence to lead their communities out of conflict and to educate others on gender equality and human rights. JRP is confident that the participants will apply the skills they learned to their everyday lives, and will become agents of change in their communities.

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Providing a platform for important dialogues on gender-related issues

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Dialogue held at Pabo sub-county with WAN members, relatives and local leaders present. Photo by Patrick Odong/JRP.
Dialogue held at Pabo sub-county with WAN members, relatives and local leaders present. Photo by Patrick Odong/JRP.

As communities navigate a post-conflict journey together, it is key for a stage to be given for different groups within society to share their experiences, challenges and current journeys.

Recently, as part of the “Livelihood” project implemented by JRP and Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN), with funding from Uganda fund, four dialogues were organised in three districts: Pader, Nwoya, and Amuru. The formulation of these dialogues came about after feedback sessions conducted across various WAN groups had brought to light a number of common challenges faced by WAN members. It was conceived by JRP and WAN that such challenges should be discussed with members, local government and cultural officials, as well as spouses and supporting relatives as gender-related issues that need a holistic approach for them to be remedied.

Being mainly made up of victims of conflict-related SGBV, the WAN groups have been supported throughout this project in a number of ways. The project supports WAN groups in selecting an Income Generating Activity (IGA) for the group and building it together into a sustainable and efficient source of income for members. Throughout the project period, members have noticed that certain challenges are standing in the way of complete achievement of the project’s aims. Such common challenges highlighted included: jealousy, stigma, land conflict, lack of local authority assistance, and harming of animals distributed as part of project. During the dialogue, members were given the opportunity to elaborate on these points in order to help paint a clearer picture for those relatives and local leaders in attendance.

A key question posed to the groups was whether they felt they were experiencing such issues due to their identity as a victim of SGBV or whether it was due to their gender. Whilst some emphasized the role their gender plays in the challenges they face, most accentuated how being a victim of SGBV, and for many a returnee from LRA captivity, brought the most challenges. Although members perhaps did not agree completely, it is important that these members consider the gender aspect, so that effective remedies can be agreed upon.

When addressing the issues discussed that related to local land conflict or relations with the local authorities, local government officials were on hand to listen, respond and advise. Many of the local leaders acknowledged how they were formerly unaware of some of the problems the group faced and called for all groups to work closely with the local authority. Providing a space for discussion between the members and the local leaders proved promising and could be important for the future of the groups’ project implementation.

After such a long period of violence that impacted the lives of most in northern Uganda, it is necessary to aid in social reconstruction and reconciliation. In aiding groups to inform other members, relatives and important figures within the community on their activities, hopes and struggles, we hope communities within northern Uganda can build a bright and peaceful future together.

Engaging Men and Boys in Redress for Conflict-SGBV in Northern Uganda

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Engaging Men and Boys in Redress for Conflict-SGBV in Northern Uganda, JRP Field Note 25, March 2017
Engaging Men and Boys in Redress for Conflict-SGBV in Northern Uganda, JRP Field Note 25, March 2017

This report presents the findings and recommendations from widespread consultations by the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP) on the conflict experiences of men and boys in northern Uganda and how to effectively engage them in redress for conflict sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

In the last 10 years in which JRP empowered conflict-affected communities in Uganda to participate in processes of justice, healing and reconciliation, especially through the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN), most interventions explicitly targeted women and girls. This was largely because women and girls disproportionately suffered from conflict SGBV. Consequently, men and boys were minimally engaged in redress.

Preliminary discussions that JRP held with the communities in which it works revealed that men and boys often felt neglected in recovery interventions by civil society and government institutions. This led to their resentment and even hostility towards women and girls who were beneficiaries of post-conflict programmes and services.

In August 2015, JRP set out to better understand how men and boys could be engaged in redress for conflict SGBV in northern Uganda. The consultations explored the gendered experiences of men and boys during and as a result of the armed conflict; how it affected gender relations in communities and homes and how men and boys have been and could in future be engaged in redress.

A total of 161 respondents in Dzaipi sub-county in Adjumani district, Atanga sub-county in Pader district, Agweng sub-county in Lira district, and Gulu Municipality in Gulu District were consulted. A desk review was also done to assess comparative models for engaging men in gender-based violence prevention and response.

Key findings revealed that members of the community recognised men’s indispensable role in promoting gender equality and supported male engagement in redress for gendered conflict experiences as well as their involvement in the discourses for TJ, healing and reconciliation.

The recommendations focused on four key areas of improving relationships between women and men in the community; providing greater acknowledgment and redress; engaging men in redress for their experiences; and for engaging men in redress for women’s gendered experiences. The specific recommendations are summarised below under each are of focus.

Improving relationships between women and men in the community

  • Create safe spaces for men and women to discuss issues together such as meetings and gatherings where they would face each other and learn lessons together.
  • Organise community dialogue on gender and dealing with the past.
  • Provide mixed-sex trainings on conflict resolution and gender equality whereby the men and women would be educated together to reduce on the level of conflict in the homes.
  • Promote group sensitisation and peer support for members in the community.
  • Form initiatives for conflict mediation, healing and reconciliation through, for instance, peace building groups of duty bearers, communal meals and prayers for reconciliation and forgiveness.
  • Attend religious associations.
  • Provide support towards economic empowerment through livelihood projects to uplift people from abject poverty.
  • Enforce laws strictly especially those prohibiting alcoholism.
  • Establish rehabilitation centres to offer psychosocial support, counselling, grassroots information and education.
  • Advocate for behavioural change to address moral decadence across all the communities attributed to encampment and urbanisation.
  • Provide reparations and/or assistance to victims of conflict.
  • Create community projects to bring people together and provide information.

Providing greater acknowledgment and redress

  • Create community projects in a way that will not only acknowledge the pain of the war but also bring people together.
  • Form groups for collective advocacy especially in seeking material support for recovery; for training; truth telling and reconciliation,
  • Identify and engage male activists to understand their rights and responsibilities as well as create a better understanding of men’s problems in order to get solutions.
  • Integrate men’s empowerment into programmes of development partners and stakeholders by involving them in community meetings and WAN groups.
  • Put in place peer support forums for men to speak out and share their problems and concerns.
  • Implement community and family projects as a means of providing acknowledgement and redress.
  • Increase support towards formal and vocational education/training.
  • Implement affirmative action targeting men and boys in development and reintegration projects.
  • Provide reparation in terms of social services by government as well as awareness creation and legal aid services by NGOs.
  • Collect information on numbers and current status of conflict survivors to inform project design and funding support to enable them to receive appropriate support and redress.
  • Set up rehabilitation centres for psychosocial support to children and adults with mental health issues.

Engaging men in redress for their experiences

  • Form male groups for them to get counselling, gather and share opinions on issues concerning them, with influential or role models leading advocacy for the groups and mentoring members.
  • Form mixed groups of men and women so that they can share experiences.
  • Involve men and boys in training, workshops and other experience-sharing activities of WAN and other stakeholders.
  • Engage role models to educate fellow men about the importance of groups; inspire and encourage them to air out their concerns and demand their right to receive recovery support.

Engaging men in redress for women’s gendered experiences

  • Engage men in their spouses’ group activities so that they are informed and their understanding is enhanced on women’s redress issues in order for them to advocate for women’s rights; curb domestic violence and give views on how to support women.
  • Train men and build their capacity on peace building.
  • Initiate group projects of men and women for them to understand women’s rights; have a common understanding of goals; and share how to collectively achieve them.
  • Advocate for behavioural change to refrain from gossip and instead get involved in meetings where women share their stories, experiences and issues.
  • Involve men and women in joint Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) as a way to achieve economic independence and in order to allow them to prepare well for their future and that of their children.
  • It is hoped that through the report, future interventions that mainstream gender equality would address not only women’s gendered experiences, but also that of men and boys, ensuring that efforts for recovery and rehabilitation do not exclude or undermine men’s and boys’ gendered experiences.

Improving relationships between women and men in the community

  • Create safe spaces for men and women to discuss issues together such as meetings and gatherings where they would face each other and learn lessons together.
  • Organise community dialogue on gender and dealing with the past.
  • Provide mixed-sex trainings on conflict resolution and gender equality whereby the men and women would be educated together to reduce on the level of conflict in the homes.
  • Promote group sensitisation and peer support for members in the community.
  • Form initiatives for conflict mediation, healing and reconciliation through, for instance, peace building groups of duty bearers, communal meals and prayers for reconciliation and forgiveness.
  • Attend religious associations.
  • Provide support towards economic empowerment through livelihood projects to uplift people from abject poverty.
  • Enforce laws strictly especially those prohibiting alcoholism.
  • Establish rehabilitation centres to offer psychosocial support, counselling, grassroots information and education.
  • Advocate for behavioural change to address moral decadence across all the communities attributed to encampment and urbanisation.
  • Provide reparations and/or assistance to victims of conflict.
  • Create community projects to bring people together and provide information.

Download this field note here (pdf)

Coping Alone: Personal ways of seeking redress for survivors of conflict-SGBV

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Coping Alone Personal ways of seeking redress for survivors of conflict-SGBV, JRP Field Note 24
Coping Alone: Personal ways of seeking redress for survivors of conflict-SGBV, JRP Field Note 24

For over 20 years, the people of Northern Uganda, especially women and children, have been direct victims of a conflict between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels. Thousands of victims suffered violations related to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Numerous studies have documented the increased acknowledgment of and response to the prevalence of SGBV during conflicts worldwide as well as the nature of these violations.  Despite this, little is known about the ways in which survivors of conflict SGBV seek redress and justice for their experiences, how they cope with the aftermath of the violence and the challenging obstacles they face in so doing. Findings suggest that even after wars and conflicts formally end, survivors of SGBV continue to experience re-victimisation and human rights violations in their respective local communities.

This field note draws upon 12 individual and group storytelling sessions with 103 survivors of conflict SGBV from Adjumani, Pader and Lira districts. It narrates survivors’ search for redress for SGBV during and after conflict and identifies the emergent patterns and themes across narratives. It concludes with recommendations for government, community and civil society stakeholders in order to increase survivors’ access to redress and accountability during and after conflict.

This field note is organised into 3 sections that narrate the stories of conflict SGBV survivors in search of redress during and after conflict, and identify the emerging patterns and themes across narratives. It also highlights ways in which survivors through their own initiatives cope with daily re-victimisation. The report concludes with recommendations for local government actors, the community and civil society stakeholders for increasing survivors’ access to redress. Names of the survivors have been changed in the field note for confidentiality purposes.

Key findings

  • The search for redress for survivors of SGBV is impeded by a number of factors which are mainly physical, psychological, socio-cultural and economic.
  • Due to lack of social and familial support systems, survivors of SGBV turn to their own ways of survival, some of which are non-constructive and not uplifting.
  • The attainment of redress is faced with physical, psychological, socio-cultural and economic challenges.
  • The accounts of SGBV survivors indicate that re-victimisation includes stigmatisation, rejection by family members, fending for children alone, domestic violence and land grabbing.
  • Constructive way of attaining redress or coping include peer support, counselling and psycho-social support, livelihood means, talking to couples, divine inspiration such as prayers and support from local authorities.
  • Non-constructive ways of coping or attaining redress include alcoholism, drug abuse, isolation and aggressiveness.

Recommendations

Highlighting the factors that should be taken into consideration for the benefit of survivors of SGBV, the field note presents the following recommendations:

Community leaders should ensure that reported cases of sexual violence and other forms of human rights violation within the communities are prosecuted.

Community leaders should establish support systems for all survivors of SGBV; resolve the daily challenges they encounter; as well as facilitate their search for redress and full reintegration within the communities.

Social conditions should also be adequately improved in order to provide for SGBV survivors at least the basics such as education, access to training as a means of capacity building and jobs to support themselves.

Stakeholders should foster and encourage counselling groups since it was established that counselling was an effective trajectory through which redress can be obtained for many victims.

Training and psychological preparation of the community which is vital in ensuring that returnees are not re-victimised or rejected both by the communities and their families or regarded as threats.

Community leaders should strongly advise against the practice of abuse of women and girls by establishing a supporting system and/or a platform that implicitly tackles women and girls’ abuse and inequalities in the communities and homes.

Download this Field Note here (pdf).

Gender inequality is not only an African issue

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boston

My experience for the past four weeks during the US Department of State sponsored professional fellowship program as a gender advocate has made me learn that gender issues are the same around the world. The internship at Safe Passage, an organization in Northampton working towards preventing and responding to sexual and domestic violence, in particular has made me learn that men and women all over the world are still subjected to norms on masculinity and femininity that at times lead to violence and hinder their active participation in society.

Equality is a journey

Biases in cultures and norms on masculinities and femininity are experienced in all societies and gendered dynamics and issues of power and control are a global phenomenon. They are not only an African issue. I have been intrigued by the fact that despite the differences between northern Uganda and Massachusetts, and the fact that the US has not experienced war recently, both societies still face similar gender challenges. I have observed that equality is a journey that the world is still travelling, even if there has been a lot of progress, and that it is still very important for institutions to strategically plan to handle gendered dynamics that affect access to justice for vulnerable groups.

Dealing with trauma and conflict

Other than the subject of gender, I have also learnt that humans have basic, natural approaches to deal with trauma and conflict. These approaches are universal and cut across all societies. It is encouraging to learn that familiar approaches are being used in other societies across the globe to resolve conflict or support individuals and communities transitioning from a conflict related setting. Hearing from psychologists, professors and activists about storytelling, dialogues and  the need for safety as methods used to support survivors deal with trauma has been encouraging. These are methods we have been using at the Justice and Reconciliation Project for years as tools for research and psychosocial support.

Local approaches to transitional justice

A visit to South Bronx in New York where I met individuals who used storytelling as a healing process for a community that had been experiencing gang related crime, domestic violence and teenage pregnancy was very enriching. I have gained confidence in the local approaches to transitional justice we use knowing that someone else around the world is doing the same. It is also interesting to learn that humans regardless of their race, color, religious beliefs and economics look out for similar approaches of healing and moving forward after conflict. This to me shows that we are all the same and more reason to work towards equity.

A place to call home

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Acen*, a child born into LRA captivity, is received home by her paternal family with prayer in September 2016. Benard Okot/Justice and Reconciliation Project.
Acen*, a child born into LRA captivity, is received home by her paternal family with prayer in September 2016. Benard Okot/Justice and Reconciliation Project.

Acen* is a fifteen year old girl who was born into LRA captivity. She has been living with her mother in Gulu since 2005 when her mother escaped with her as a young baby. Acen had asked her mother, Janet Aloyo*, several times about her father. Her mother told her that he had died in the bush, which meant that they could not locate his home. Acen is in secondary school and her mother finds it difficult to pay her school fees. Being a single mother, Aloyo also singlehandedly takes care of four other children she had after returning from captivity.

This year, the Women’s Advocacy Network, an association of women who have been affected by the LRA war, has partnered with JRP and Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice to help situations like these by facilitating family reunions and dialogues. Aloyo is one of several women who have now used the network successfully to trace the paternal homes of their children. Initially, she had started looking three months after she returned from captivity. A decade later, however, she had seen very little success. She told me there was only person whom she knew as a relative to the family of the father of her child was a woman, an aunt she used to talk to about taking her daughter home. But her efforts were frustrated when the Aunt died and she lost her only connection to the family.

“When she died I thought that was the end of everything,” Aloyo said.

She found it difficult to approach the family of her child because she was afraid that they may not listen to her or believe her. She also feared the family may be hostile to her since she knew many of the family members were killed by rebels during the war. She was worried that going to them to talk about their past would add more pain to them.

According to Aloyo, the network of women together with JRP made her see light at the end of tunnel by facilitating dialogues between her, her family and Acen’s father’s family.

This past September, at Acen’s father’s home, it all culminated on a sunny day when over thirty people were eagerly waiting to receive Acen, Aloyo and Aloyo’s family members. A team of theology students led by their pastor, who happened to be Acen’s uncle, was also present to grace the home for the coming of their daughter. Acen was welcomed with a prayer and smeared with anointing oil on her forehead as a symbol of her becoming a part of the family.

Aloyo was overwhelmed with the way she and her daughter were received. “Today, it is like I am giving birth to this girl again. My child has an identity and a place to belong,” she said proudly.

The family promised Acen support to see her through her education and to provide for her basic needs. Her mother was also promised land to use for farming. On the day, Acen assured her family that she would strive hard to complete her education.

It marked the beginning of relationship between the two families and Acen finally has a place to call home.

“I will take her as my own daughter and we will share the same food,” Acen’s uncle said during the event. “We will eat from the same table. When she is crying I will be also crying. If I am laughing she will laugh. The past has gone already, you are home. Be blessed and we love you so much.”

*Not their real names