UGANDA: Listening to Youth - the experiences of young people in Northern Uganda

The purpose of this study was to gather the insights of young people living in northern
Uganda, a region that has been mired in conflict for more than 20 years. Young people in northern Uganda have been, perhaps, the group most deeply affected by the conflict
between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda, a struggle
that has been characterised by a brutal civil war and a protracted humanitarian crisis.
Thousands of young people have seen their communities attacked and destroyed, have
lost parents and relatives to violence and disease and have been separated from their
families and displaced from their homes.

Thousands of young men and women have been abducted by the LRA and forced to participate in violence, or serve as porters, cooks and sex slaves, resulting in many young women becoming mothers at a young age.

Despite these and countless other challenges, young people have been a source of
resilience in their communities, supporting their families and working to restore social
cohesion and development in their communities. As Uganda moves forward in an
uncertain peace process and faces the challenges of rebuilding, young people will
continue to play a key role in shaping their country’s future. As the international
community strives to better understand, support and uphold the rights of youth affected
by armed conflict, young people’s own voices, opinions, perspectives and
recommendations are a necessary and critical resource.

This study, undertaken by a research team from the Women’s Commission for Refugee
Women and Children (Women’s Commission) and supported by the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), contributes to the 10-year Strategic Review of the “Machel
Study” on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, initiated by the Special
Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG/CAAC)
and UNICEF in November 2006. The research provides a vehicle for young people to
voice their opinions and ideas with respect to the five themes of the Machel Study 10-
year Strategic Review:

• consequences of the conflict;
• coping strategies;
• participation in decision-making;
• peace and reconciliation; and
• recommendations for the local, national and international community.

This study also contributes to the Women’s Commission’s ongoing advocacy to increase
attention and support for youth in northern Uganda. It includes a follow-up examination
the Women’s Commission’s 2001 participatory research study with 54 adolescent
researchers in Kitgum, Gulu and Pader, which culminated with the report, Against All
Odds: Surviving the War on Adolescents. After the 2001 study, the Women’s
Commission continued to partner with four youth groups in the region, three of which
formed as a direct result of the participatory research. Several members of those youth
groups supported and participated in this current initiative. This study provides an
opportunity to learn more about the long-term impact of participatory research as a
method for engaging young people in research, organisation and decision-making.

Further information

CRIN's information page on children and armed conflict