Youth Participation in Peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: Opportunities and Challenges
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Youth Participation in Peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: Opportunities and Challenges Kris Hartmann Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Social Work with Families and Children Dr. Janestic Twikirize Dr. Eric Awich Ochen Makerere University Kampala, May 2016 Declaration I, Kris Hartmann, hereby declare that this dissertation is my original work and has never been submitted, either in whole or in part, to this or any other university for any academic award. Name: Kris Hartmann Registration Number: 2015/HD03/2954X Students Number: 215023958 Signature: APPROVAL The dissertation has been submitted with the approval of my supervisor Dr. Eric Awich Ochen. Signature: Date: 12 th May 2016 i Non-plagiarism declaration I hereby declare that the Dissertation titled ‘Youth Participation in Peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: Opportunities and Challenges’ submitted to the Erasmus Mundus Master’s Programme in Social Work with Families and Children: • Has not been submitted to any other Institute/University/College • Contains proper references and citations for other scholarly work • Contains proper citation and references from my own prior scholarly work • Has listed all citations in a list of references. I am aware that violation of this code of conduct is regarded as an attempt to plagiarize, and will result in a failing grade (F) in the programme. Date: 12/05/2016 Signature: Name: KRIS HARTMANN ii Acronyms AAU Action Aid International Uganda ACCS Advisory Consortium on Conflict Sensitivity ACORD Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development AIN Amnesty International Netherlands AU African Union CBO Community-Based Organisation CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child CSO Civil Society Organisation CSOPNU Civil Society Organisations for Peace Land and Equity Movement in Northern Uganda DRT Development Research and Training FGD Focus Group Discussion GoU Government of Uganda GWED-G Gulu Women’s Economic Development & Globalization HRE Human Rights Education HURICAP Human Rights Capacity-Building Programme ICG International Crisis Group IDP Internally Displaced Person IDMC Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre IFSW International Federation of Social Workers LRA Lord’s Resistance Army NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NRM National Resistance Movement iii NUHRP Northern Uganda Human Rights Partnership NUSAF Northern Uganda Social Action Fund NRA National Resistance Army NYC National Youth Council PRDP Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda TVET Technical and Vocational Education Training Programmes UBOS Uganda Bureau of Statistics UGX Ugandan Shilling ULII Uganda Legal Information Institute UN United Nations UNCRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDESA – DSPD United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs – Division for Social Policy and Development Youth UN-IANYD United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development UNNGOF Uganda National NGO Forum UNPF United Nations Peacebuilding Fund UPDF Ugandan People’s Defence Force VSLA Village Saving and Loan Association YLP Youth Livelihood Programme YVCF Youth Venture Capital Fund iv Abstract Title Youth Participation in Peacebuilding in Gulu District, Northern Uganda: Opportunities and Challenges. Author Kris Hartmann Key words Youth participation; peacebuilding; post-conflict; power; Northern Uganda Between 1986 and 2006 Northern Uganda was affected by one of the longest running and most brutal armed conflicts in the African history of the 20 th 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. v Table of Contents Declaration.................................................................................................i Acronyms................................................................................................. iii Abstract .....................................................................................................v List of Tables............................................................................................ix Acknowledgements...................................................................................x Chapter 1: Introduction...........................................................................1 1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................1 1.2 Problem Statement ...........................................................................................................2 1.3 Objectives of the Study ....................................................................................................4 1.4 Research Questions ..........................................................................................................4 1.5 Scope of the Study ...........................................................................................................5 1.6 Justification and Policy Relevance ..................................................................................6 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................7 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................7 2.2 Operationalization of Key Terms and Concepts ..............................................................7 2.2.1 Youth .........................................................................................................................7 2.2.2 Power ........................................................................................................................8 2.2.3 Participation .............................................................................................................8 2.2.4 Peacebuilding ...........................................................................................................9 2.3 Acknowledging Youth Diversity .................................................................................. 11 2.4 Youth Participation in Peacebuilding ............................................................................ 13 2.4.1 Human rights-based approach to Youth Participation in Peacebuilding .............. 13 2.4.2 Economic approach to Youth Participation in Peacebuilding ............................... 15 2.4.3 Socio-political approach to Youth Participation in Peacebuilding ....................... 17 2.4.4 Socio-cultural approach to Youth Participation in Peacebuilding ........................ 18 2.5 Social Work: Participation and Power .......................................................................... 20 2.6 Peacebuilding in Acholiland ......................................................................................... 21 2.7 Power Relations in Acholi society ................................................................................ 22 Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework......................................................24 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 24 vi 3.2 The ‘Power Cube’ ......................................................................................................... 24 3.2.1 Spaces for Participation ......................................................................................... 25 3.2.2 Levels of Decision-Making ..................................................................................... 26 3.2.3 Forms of Power ...................................................................................................... 26 3.3 The ‘Expressions of Power’ .........................................................................................