Abstract
The study, Conspicuously Absent: Women’s Role in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building in Northern Uganda in the Context of United Nations Resolution 1325. The research was carried out in war ravaged Acholi sub region covering the districts of Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum and Pader because they are located in the centre of Northern Uganda conflict between the Government and the rebels commonly known as the Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA). The main objective of the study was to locate women in conflict situations and assess their contribution. The study methodology is qualitative and builds upon a review of related literature, oral interviews, questionnaires and focus group discussions with men and women who participated in the study. The major research finding reveals that women played a big role in peace building and conflict resolution, but their involvement remained unrecognized. Worst still, the northern Uganda women appeared not linked with the growing number of women led initiatives internationally, nationally and sub-national levels. The lack of recognition of women’s roles makes women invisible actors in peace processes taking place in northern Uganda. The study concludes that including women in the formal peace process, while not a goal in itself, is symbolic and significant step in the promotion of women’s justifiable participation in peace building and conflict transformation processes. The study makes recommendations to enhance women’s capacity to contribute to peace processes formally and informally. Key words: Conflict mitigation, conflict resolution, gender, resolution 1325, peace-building, Lord’s Resistant Army (LRA), sub- region.
Highlights
The women, peace, and security agenda, first articulated in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000, seeks to elevate the role of women in conflict management, conflict resolution, and sustainable peace
The main purpose of the study was to capture the reality of life as seen and experienced by women living in armed conflict situation in Northern Uganda and to find out women’s contributions to peace building and conflict mitigation and resolution in the light of the principles expressed in Resolution 1325
The findings revealed that women engaged in a variety of community activities such as: mobilization to address salient neighborhoods issues, psychosocial support networks, and active engagement in conflict resolution and livelihood support which enabled women to hold families together, as family is the basic social unit of a society which was adversely affected by the conflict in northern Uganda
Summary
The women, peace, and security agenda, first articulated in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000, seeks to elevate the role of women in conflict management, conflict resolution, and sustainable peace. The agenda can be promoted in various ways, including National Action Plans (NAPs) on women, peace, and security (Roslyn et al, 2017). The above quotation suggests the inclusion of gender perspective to conflict resolution and peace building. Since 2009, the story of northern Uganda has greatly changed from insecurity, hunger, hostilities, violence and Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, to a narrative of relative peace and post conflict reconstruction. The Acholi sub region is awash with Government and Non-Governmental activities targeting post conflict reconstruction agenda makes the region a beehive of development activities. At The Hague, the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s Headquarters, Dominic Ongwen, one of the rebel leaders closest to Joseph Kony, is facing trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity
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