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
Grandfather receives his children home as he directs them to step on an egg, the children are expected to break the egg in a symbol of cleaning and getting rid of the evil spirits that a person could be having.
This report is the result of collaboration between the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), with the support of the Justice and Reconciliation Project (JRP).
The original research for the report was envisioned to focus on women’s experiences of seeking reparations for sexual violence, funded by the PWIAS, at the University of British Columbia. Through a process of consultations with WAN members, however, the process of child tracing emerged as a social project considered vital to the well-being of children born as the result of forced marriages in wartime.
At the time of writing, child tracing activities were on-going at various stages outlined in the report. Mothers and their children, some now young adults, initiated the process of child tracing on their own. With the assistance of WAN members and networks, community leaders and non-governmental organizations such as JRP and Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice (WIGJ), these informal efforts received wider social support, particular with funding to the initiative from WIGJ between 2016-17.
The report involved a review of secondary data collected by WAN and JRP, including reports, recordings and video-tapes, field notes, and interviews and focus group discussions with WAN members and child tracing team leaders and project officers at JRP and WAN. It is intended to highlight the process and possibilities of child tracing for stakeholders.
It was supported by the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (PWIAS) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant (SSHRC PG) Conjugal Slavery in War (CSiW): A partnership for the study of enslavement, marriage and masculinities.
Researched and written by: Tinashe Mutsonziwa, Ketty Anyeko & Erin Baines in Vancouver, Canada and Grace Acan & Evelyn Amony in Gulu, Uganda.
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 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.
Community members gather to watch a theatre program in Nomakora. They share snacks and soda. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
The journey to Nomakora sub-county is difficult. One must first drive from Gulu towards Kitgum and from Kitgum veer off tarmac and on to red dirt roads. Rains have not come this year, and the dust seems to predict another sort of storm. Vehicles kick up enough of it to obscure everything. Dust leaves a fine film on the skin. It comes into the nose. It makes lungs feel dirty.
Justice and Reconciliation Project staff traveled to Nomakora last week, in order facilitate a community outreach program. Women’s Advocacy Network group members designed a theatre piece in order to teach their neighbors about the horrors of abduction and life in the bush. The goal was to reduce stigma within the community, by showing both the difficulty of the past and the promise of future reconciliation. The program also helps to empower women previously silenced, and gives them a powerful platform and voice. JRP has a history of facilitating similar community theatre programs, with great success.
The afternoon sun blazed and women sat in the shade, away from the dusty road. They made props, weaving tiny AK47s from stiff grass. Children picked at the false weapons, eager for new toys. Babies nursed. A DJ arrived to set up a sound system for the program, and community leaders and other villagers arrived as well, settling into wooden chairs or simply sitting on the ground.
Before the play came a prayer for those still in the grip of the Lord’s Resistance Army. According to the LRA Crisis Tracker, sponsored and created by Invisible Children, the rebels have been active in the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo as recently as September of this year, with an attack near Yalinga, DRC. A number of children remain in captivity.
This prayer complete, a woman named Evelyn asked the community for peace. Her voice soft and earnest she said, “If you have killed everyone, who will help us? Who will be the next generation?”
The drama itself began with a portrait of daily life in the shadow of violence. Children supposed to help their mother cook begged to play outside instead. Then, without warning, they were snatched from their homes and taken to the bush. The actors mimed beatings and battles and being forced to carry guns and heavy loads.
It was not difficult to image the same scene playing out here and nearby, in the surrounding villages, and along the porous parts of maps. It was not difficult to imagine also those traumas not portrayed; to imagine the forced marriage of young girls, offered up like objects to senior commanders.
WAN group members reencact scenes of LRA captivity. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
At last, the story came to its cautiously hopeful conclusion. Those children once supposed to help cook, returned home and to their mother. She cried out in joy and gripped them to her, but the children were too tired to speak about their experiences. “Let us rest,” they said. Family reunions were haunted by other ghosts.
While it ended with a reunion, the play made clear that a new set of challenges lay ahead. The formerly abducted face daily discrimination. Unable to finish school, they lack job skills, making it difficult to support themselves and their families. Many are victims of domestic abuse.
One woman, identified as Jennifer, spoke directly about this violence. The program had ended and the sun was setting fiercely. We had stepped away from the crowd. Jennifer said, “Whenever [our husbands] go on a drinking spree they take that opportunity to insult us, stigmatize us and abuse us.” Her comments implied alcoholism and a lack of security, even within the home.
The war is over in Uganda, but many obstacles remain.
Counselor Five Nomakora Sub-County , Kenneth Nyero, speaks about the need to create more programs for survivors of conflict. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
As a result of the drama, local and cultural leaders and community members have become increasingly aware of the hurdles returnees must surmount. District officials are eager to ameliorate the situation. Following the drama, many made passionate speeches.
Counselor Five Nomakora Sub-County, Kenneth Nyero, seemed particularly eager to aid the formerly abducted. He was deeply moved by the program. Following his speech, we talked in more depth. The DJ had begun to play by then, and music echoed over the conversation.
Mr. Nyero hopes that the government and non-profit organizations can form long term partnerships in order to support vulnerable people, and specifically those returned from captivity. “We will work together as a team supporting humanity,” he said. “We have to support the ones who have come from the bush . . . the government does not have a specific program targeting [returnees]. If possible, there is need to design a specific program that will target these groups.”
Community members were also touched by the program. An older woman, called Anette, claimed that piece truly showed what happened in Namokora. Her tone implied memories awakened and a sense of watching history on repeat. Her daughter was abducted during the insurgency, but has now returned, even serving as secretary for the WAN group in Namokora.
Anette spoke little about her own experiences and past, focusing instead on the future. During the play she observed community members crying, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. She hopes this is a sign of change to come. “There is going to be great impact for those who have the feelings,” she said.
The drama and speeches complete, Namokora returned to its normal rhythms. Children turned summersaults in the grass. Others rushed back down the road with yellow water jugs, trying to reach home before dark. The chairs were brought back. Women took advantage of the DJ and danced wildly.
Life went on.
Community members in Namokora dance, while a DJ plays. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
The drama program in Nomakora is a microcosm; one aspect of a much larger initative. Following, JRP staff visited Lapono and Adjumani, where community theatre performances also took place. Women in Lapono shared stories of alcoholism and domestic abuse, presenting possible situations for redress through continued dialogue and active leadership. Performers in Adjumani reenacted battles, while leaders called for more services, overwhelmed by the ongoing transitional justice process and South Sudanese refugee crisis simultaneously. Meanwhile, women in Soroti staged a radio program about stigmatization.
Community members in Adjumani portray scenes of conflict. Photo credit, Sophia Neiman.
According to Community Development Officer Lapono Sub-County, Bena Sarah Ongom, there is profound desire to share these dramas more widely, in order to increase their impact. “Clearly the play is based on a true picture of the community. Whatever challenges they gave in the role play, is the actual truth on the ground. I think from the good practices they picked from the drama they can be in position to improve, especially against gender based violence and how they can overcome it. We advise that this kind of play should be expanded to most of the parishes,” she said.
Community dramas speak to the fortitude of returnees and to the strength it takes to rise up and teach others, no matter how exhausting or difficult the task. They speak to the capacity for learning and forgiveness, and to the possibility of complete reconciliation within the community. They also speak to the vast scale of the problem and to the clear need for continued support; for more support. Many returnees have not been able to form non-profit supported groups, and so cannot take part in programs such as these. Thus, the performers represent a fraction of the voices and stories within the northern region.
JRP will remain invested in these communities through community theatre programs and other means, and continue to amplify marginalized voices and foster reconciliation. Information gathered will also aid the development of a best practices guide of other non-profits working with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, ultimately expanding JRP’s reach.
Women in Namokora carry chairs used in the community theatre program back home. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
The sun in Lapono beat down fiercely. Little rain has come to region, so dust swirled in the air with hot wind. Despite the heat, residents waited eagerly in the village center, talking and laughing with palpable excitement.
Following a long training on goat rearing earlier last month, Justice and Reconciliation Project staff returned to Lapono on Wednesday, October third. They presented thirty-eight goats to Women’s Advocacy Network group members there. The group was also given a cash box and fund, from which they can take small loans.
Distributing all thirty-eight goats was an exhilarating process. The animals were tried in a grassy field and labeled with numbers one through thirty-eight. Stubborn, they bleated and kicked at the ground. Residents were also assigned numbers and found the goats with corresponding digits. After picking their animals women cried out in ojili or jubilation and everyone posed for a picture.
Residents of Lapano pose for a group picture with thier new goats. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
Life in Lapono remains difficult, and the formerly abducted must surmount many obstacles. Stigma runs rampant. “Now people are trying to abuse us from the community. They are violating our rights to live in harmony,” a woman named Akello said. She has remained in Lapono for more than a decade; ever since she escaped the rebels. Furthermore, according to the Community Development Officer, Bena Sarah Ongom, domestic abuse, school dropouts and teenage pregnancy are also prevalent. Many women possess limited, if any, ownership over crucial resources.
Thus, the goats mark new opportunities. It is a signal of possibility. Now, the animals will aid in farming. As time passes, money raised from the goats can help send children to school, pay for medical bills, or be used to buy more nutritious food in the market place. “I know my life is going to change,” said Akello. She continued, “I am going to take good care of [the goats] to ensure they grow up very well and help me in paying for my children to go to school. I didn’t get the chance to study so I need my children to study.” She is currently a mother of four.
Ideally, effect of the project will reach beyond WAN group members, and influence people throughout the area. “They can act like role models in the community, so that other people can adopt their standard of life and their standard of saving culture. The goats that they have been supported with can multiply, and eradicate household poverty,” Ongom said.
Goat deliveries were not limited to Lapono. JRP staff gave thirty-six goats to residents of Namokora, near the border with South Sudan. In the coming weeks, they will journey to Adjumani and Soroti. The program is made possible due to the generous support of the Welfare Fund.
A woman celebrates with her goat. Photo Credit, Sophia Neiman.
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 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.
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.
Children play as part of an innovative project documenting the lives and experiences of children born into LRA captivity. Photo courtesy of Beth Stewart.
As nations around the world rebuild from protracted armed conflicts, many are struggling with a consequence of war that has largely been ignored by integration programs and policies: How can societies address the unique needs of the thousands of children conceived as a result of sexual violence and exploitation against women and girls during armed conflict?
Referred to as “children born of war,” they represent a particularly vulnerable class of war-affected children.
Over the past five years, grass-roots women’s organizations in northern Uganda have been providing valuable lessons on how to integrate these youth in post-conflict societies. These include mitigating future challenges the children might face by mediating family reconciliations and creating economic opportunities for these children through access to land ownership.
Data on these boys and girls, especially in conflict and post-conflict countries in sub-Saharan Africa, are sparse and lacking. Some independent and expert sources offer conservative estimates, saying the number of children born to women raped during the Rwandan civil war ranges from 2,000 (PDF) to more than 10,000. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, up to 17 percent of women and girls who survived conflict-related sexual violence have reported becoming pregnant. In northern Uganda, more than 10,000 (PDF) girls abducted by the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) between 1988 and 2004 became child mothers. Most reportedly bore two or more children before being rescued by government forces.
Research (PDF) from war-affected countries such as Bosnia and Sierra Leone shows that children born of war confront complex challenges, including socioeconomic marginalization, family rejection, stigmatization, and violence. They struggle with issues of identity and belonging (PDF). They’re all too often turned into outcasts, rejected by families and communities. That also makes it highly unlikely for their mothers to disclose how they were conceived or help the children access social services.
Being born because of wartime rape ‘handicaps children for life.’
Patricia A. Weitsman, the late political scientist and scholar who studied sexual violence and identity in war, has argued that being born because of wartime rape “handicaps children for life.” (PDF) Families and societies can’t separate children of war from the circumstance of their conception. Their identities are forever linked with the men who raped their mothers, even when they are raised in their mother’s communities, according to Weitsman’s research.
A 2016 study by Myriam S. Denov, a McGill University professor, and community-based researcher A.A. Lakor documented the views and experiences of Ugandan children whose mothers were raped while prisoners of the Lord Resistance Army. The youths said their life in captivity was “debilitating and horrific.” But they described their current, post-release lives as worse, due to the stigma and abject poverty they endure. They appear to prefer war to peace, but it is not their fault. Governments and institutions in civil societies have failed to fully and meaningfully integrate the children into postwar life, the researchers said.
There are signs of better ways forward: The Women’s Advocacy Network, a group of more than 600 Ugandan women who were LRA abductees, is addressing this issue in a sensitive and creative manner. In November, I spoke with Lucy, a group leader in the Northern Uganda city of Gulu who asked to be identified by her first name. She said the network is striving to find relatives of some war-born children, hoping to pull them from shame and exile, and reuniting them with extended families of their fathers and reintegrating them into communities.
“These children, who are now between the ages of 12 and 20, are asking about their fathers,” Lucy said. In some cases the youths already have been branded as perpetrators “so it’s important to connect them to any family member from the father’s side that can help them navigate problems they are facing as a result of who they are,” she said.
In some northern Ugandan traditions, children inherit land from fathers or through their paternal line. If war-born children are cast out and cut off from this important resource, the consequences—especially for young men—can be economically devastating and affect the rest of their lives. Without a way to provide for spouses and families, young men will experience greater societal rejection than their female counterparts.
Not every attempt the Women’s Advocacy Network makes to reunite children of war with their extended families is successful, Lucy cautioned. Some children were fathered by former soldiers who were abducted and forced to serve in the rebel groups; they may have changed their names and can be hard to find. Even if family members are located, the children can still be rejected.
Since the 2006 ceasefire between the Ugandan government and the LRA rebels, officials and international organizations have used a “transitional justice framework” to offer redress for victims of sexual violence and exploitation—and their children. This process is put into place when existing judicial systems in nations or regions can’t fully deal with large-scale or systemic human rights violations. The framework has helped to foster a range of initiatives in post-conflict northern Uganda to establish accountable institutions, give victims options to pursue justice, and to facilitate community dialogues for reconciliation. But it has neglected the long-term needs and challenges of war-born children, according to a 2015 assessment (PDF) by the International Center for Transitional Justice. That group found that officials have focused on mothers, wrongly assuming benefits would trickle down to the children born of war.
The women’s network, however, has identified the unique needs of these youths, and the group’s push for reunification between children and families may hold promise. The group has benefited from deep community involvement and by having members who are parents of “children born of war.” This has allowed the group to have a broader and more inclusive view of what is needed to achieve a sustainable and holistic integration process for these children.
The network’s efforts may provide a model for other countries in the region facing similar challenges. In Nigeria, for instance, the militant Islamic group Boko Haram has abducted over 2,000 women and girls since 2014—and 214 of 700 kidnapped females rescued by the Nigerian army were pregnant. As more girls are rescued, and these women and their children born of war start integrating and reintegrating into their families and communities, organizations will need to consider designing programs that provide immediate relief and services for mothers and their children. Future initiatives also need to take into account the long-term impact of what being a child “born of war” entails—and be sensitive to the complex ways it can affect postwar life.
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.
How a family reunion has brought closure and healing
“I didn’t know that there is an organisation that resurrects the dead,” said Oweka’s great aunt this past March.
This is a common saying by the families with whom we have been conducting the reintegration of children born of war through family reunions. These children are being looked at as a replacement of their dead relatives or those who have gone missing. During the two decade conflict in northern Uganda thousands of people were killed and abducted and many are still missing up to date. Reuniting the children of the deceased or missing with their relatives is a means by which communities are filling in the void caused by the loss of their loved ones and attaining closure and healing.
A sense of belonging, identity and access to land
Oweka and his mother had been searching for the home for the last five years until they approached the Women’s Advocacy Network for help in late 2016. His mother had returned from captivity with him in the womb and they had been living with his step family from the time he was born. He has been experiencing rejection from his mother’s marital relatives and his step-siblings.
Oweka’s mother had wanted him to reunite with his paternal family so that he could have a sense of belonging, identity as well as access to land. This is because of the patrilineal culture that is embedded in the community where Oweka is from: here, children belong to their father’s lineage and boys are expected to inherit land from their fathers in order to establish their own families.
Reunions as an integral aspect of reintegration
Since January 2016, 19 children have so far been reunited with their relatives by the members of the Women’s Advocacy Network together with the Justice and Reconciliation Project in partnership with the Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice. Family reunions are an integral aspect of the reintegration of children born of war and their mothers. This is because families are a source of support and welfare, allow for access to land and provide a sense of identity.
In the absence of a formal, state-run transitional justice process local initiatives such as family reunions are ways in which communities are transitioning from the two decades of war in northern Uganda. These initiatives are helping to fill in the vacuum so as to address the legacies of the conflict.
Restoring fractured relationships
Family reunions also ultimately contribute towards reconciliation by allowing maternal and paternal families of the children to come together contributed towards building and restoring relationships that were fractured during the conflict. They also complement other ongoing programs aimed at fostering peace, reconciliation and ensuring proper reintegration of war affected persons in Northern Uganda.
Oweka met his paternal relatives for the first time on the 2nd of March 2017 in the out skirts of Kitgum town. He was welcomed in the home with a thanksgiving prayer amidst celebration and joy. One of the family members said on the day, “We thank God for the grace that has made Oweka return home.” He will now be supported by one of his cousins to join a prestigious boarding school in the area.
During the reunion Oweka said, “They kept on saying I had no clan and a place to belong but now I am at my father’s roots.”
