Conflict In Northern Uganda Research Articles

Modelling Transformation of Communities by Public Universities in Post Conflict Northern Uganda Using Economic and Demographic factors

Scarcity of knowledge exists on how economic and demographic factors of surrounding communities influence the capacity of universities to transform them. This study examines the dimensions that contribute to community transformation in the context of the community surrounding Gulu University in post-conflict northern Uganda and the economic and demographic factors of the surrounding community that influence their transformation by Gulu University. The study employed a cross-sectional research design with a sample of 390 households. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on household economic and demographic factors and data on dimensions of community transformation. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the contributions of the dimensions of community transformation, while logistic regression model was employed to determine economic and demographic factors that influence community transformation by Gulu University. The independent variables tested in the economic and demographic categories included age, gender, household size, occupation, alternative income, savings, credit, remittances, and education, while transformation formed the dependent variable. Findings revealed that the economic, physical, political and spiritual dimensions contribute more to the transformation of the community surrounding Gulu University, while the economic and demographic factors that had a significant influence on community transformation included occupation in civil service, business, and commercial farming (P=.004); and the level of education (P=0.044). The study concludes that the economic, physical, political and spiritual dimensions with their associated variables contributed more to community transformation. These can be used by other related studies to measure community transformation by universities in the context of developing countries. Furthermore, policies need to focus more on supporting the improvement of the business environment to promote commercial farming and university education since they have a higher multiplier effect on community transformation. Consequently, community members need to focus on business, harness commercial farming and achieve university level of education

Environmental Change in Conflict and Post-conflict Northern Uganda: A Geographical Analysis to Understand Prospects for Sustainable Peace and Development in the Region

Armed conflicts are acknowledged for their effects on the environment, including ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss, but also ecological restoration. Both processes impact post-conflict opportunities for peace and development. The armed conflict in Northern Uganda (1986–2008) profoundly affected local communities and their natural environment. While some areas suffered environmental degradation others underwent ecological restoration. Understanding this historical pattern is crucial for post-conflict natural resource management and peace and development prospects. This article aims to analyse vegetation changes in Northern Uganda during and after the conflict, exploring potential drivers of such changes and their implications for sustainable peace and development. Utilising remote sensing analysis and literature review, we observe a post-conflict ‘greening’ trend alongside a more equal vegetation deterioration and restoration spatial distribution. We propose that if these trends are driven by agriculture expansion, the way this is organised and articulated with natural vegetation will be central for peace and development.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Severe Depression Among Caregivers of Children with Sickle Cell Disease in Northern Uganda

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by low mood and affects more than 300 million people globally. Caregivers of children with Sickle cell disease (SCD) experience psychosocial distress which predisposes them to depression. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with severe depression among caregivers of children with SCD attending a large hospital in post conflict northern Uganda. A cross sectional study was conducted at the SCD clinic of St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor (SMHL). Caregivers of children aged between 0 to 17 years with SCD were interviewed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and socio-demographics questionnaire developed by the researchers. Bivariable analysis using chi square test and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to assess associated factors. 310 participants were recruited consecutively of whom 90% were female and 10% male with mean age of 32.7 years. The prevalence of severe depression among caregivers of children with SCD at SMHL was 18.4% and was associated with increasing age of caregiver (adjusted odds ratio (aO.R =1.06, C.I = 1.02-1.10). Having more than one child (aO.R= 0.321, C.I = 0.107-0.967), and extended family type (aOR= 0.284, CI= 0.114-0.537) were protective against depression. The study findings indicate that a substantial proportion of caregivers of children with SCD suffer from severe depression which is mostly undiagnosed and hence untreated. Therefore, policymakers need to focus on designing strategies aimed at controlling and managing depression among caregivers of children with SCD such as routine screening.

Effect of a communication intervention on alcohol use during pregnancy in post conflict Northern Uganda: a quasi experimental study

BackgroundAlcohol use during pregnancy is a preventable risk factor for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders. Psycho-social and educational interventions have been reported to enable women reduce alcohol intake levels during pregnancy and help improve some health outcomes of unhealthy alcohol use. We set out to assess the effect of a communication intervention on alcohol use during pregnancy in post conflict northern Uganda.MethodsThe study employed a quasi - experimental design to assess the effect of a community health worker led communication strategy on pregnant women’s knowledge, attitudes and various patterns of alcohol use using Difference in Difference(DiD). 420 respondents were recruited at baseline as at endline.ResultsThe communication messages were significantly associated with reduced odds of binge drinking (P = 0.018; OR = 0.09; CI = 0.012–0.66). Also those who received the intervention were less likely to drink frequently (P = 0.80; OR = 0.75; 95%CI = 0.074–7.5) or be harmful alcohol users(P = 0.948). The intervention also positively influenced having fair (β =0.49;P = 0.217;RRR =1.63)or adequate knowledge(β = 0.89;P = 0.25;RRR = 2.44) and having positive(β = 0.37;RRR =1.44;P = 0.46) or fair attitude(β = 0.19;RRR = 1.21; P = 0.693) although not to a significant level.ConclusionsThe communication intervention affected some patterns of alcohol use among pregnant women and not others. Our results contribute to existing evidence that communication interventions are a promising approach in reduction of alcohol exposed pregnancies. Interventions aimed at promoting alcohol abstinence during pregnancy should be implemented alongside other strategies that address factors that influence pregnant women to drink to achieve maximum results.

“A Reason Not to Belong”: Political Decentralization, Intercommunal Relations, and Changing Identities in Northeastern Uganda

AbstractAbim district, located in Uganda’s Karamoja region, is one of the scores of new administrative units created under the country’s decentralization policy. The establishment of Abim district in 2006, following decades of conflict in northern Uganda, was accompanied by changes in ethnic identity within local communities of Ethur farmers. Based on oral history fieldwork in Abim, Meyerson documents these changes in sociopolitical identification among the Ethur. In doing so, he demonstrates how political decentralization has become a venue for the combination of international discourses of indigenous rights, national notions of ethnic citizenship, and grassroots histories of intercommunal relations.

Aguu: From Acholi Post War Street Youth and Children to ‘Criminal Gangs’ in Modern Day Gulu City, Uganda

This paper analyses the origin and evolution of the Aguu, a group of street youth/children labelled as a criminal gang operating in the streets of Gulu, Uganda. Based on a series of interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, archival work and literature review, the paper traces the origin of the Aguu to the conflict in Northern Uganda, and describes the transformation of the Aguu from street youth/children linked to war and displacement to their present day labelling as ‘criminal gang’. Anchored in an analysis based on Assemblage Theory, this paper demonstrates the complexity, multiplicity and fluidity of the Aguu identity as a group whose inception and evolution, both internal and external, occurs through a process of relationship between social, political, economic and infrastructural changes linked to war, culture, aid and politics, affecting present day security discourses in Gulu, Uganda.

Aguu: From Acholi Post War Street Youth and Children to ‘Criminal Gangs’ in Modern Day Gulu City, Uganda

This paper analyses the origin and evolution of the Aguu, a group of street youth/children labelled as a criminal gang operating in the streets of Gulu, Uganda. Based on a series of interviews, focus group discussions, participant observations, archival work and literature review, the paper traces the origin of the Aguu to the conflict in Northern Uganda, and describes the transformation of the Aguu from street youth/children linked to war and displacement to their present day labelling as ‘criminal gang’. Anchored in an analysis based on Assemblage Theory, this paper demonstrates the complexity, multiplicity and fluidity of the Aguu identity as a group whose inception and evolution, both internal and external, occurs through a process of relationship between social, political, economic and infrastructural changes linked to war, culture, aid and politics, affecting present day security discourses in Gulu, Uganda.

Various forms of alcohol use and their predictors among pregnant women in post conflict northern Uganda: a cross sectional study

BackgroundAlcohol use during pregnancy has been associated with several births and developmental disorders. This study set out to determine the various forms of alcohol consumption among pregnant women and their predictors in post conflict Northern Uganda.MethodsIn the months of May to June 2019, we conducted a cross sectional study among 420 pregnant women seeking antenatal care services at both Government and private health facilities in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts in Northern Uganda. We asked them about consumption of various alcoholic beverages. A three stage stratified cluster sampling approach was used and study participants randomly selected from health facilities of interest. We used descriptive statistics to estimate the prevalence of various forms of alcohol use. The chi- square test and logistic regression were used to assess associations of alcohol use among respondents and their socio - demographic and other characteristics.ResultsOverall 99 women (23.6%) reported current alcohol use (any amount). Up to 11% (N = 11) of all drinkers were identified by the AUDIT to be women with problem drinking behavior, 8% (N = 8) of women reported hazardous drinking and only four (4%) were women with active alcohol dependent behavior. Predictors of maternal alcohol use included pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption, knowledge, attitude, education level, parity and residence.ConclusionsThis study indicates that alcohol use (any mount) during pregnancy is high while alcohol dependence, problematic and hazardous drinking is low. Knowledge and attitude were important predictors of alcohol use. While alleviating alcohol use, development partners and relevant government departments should consider communication and other interventions that increase knowledge and risk perception on maternal drinking. Other risk factors that predict maternal drinking such as prior alcohol use, residence and parity should be mitigated or eliminated.

‘They say we are money minded’ exploring experiences of formal private for-profit health providers towards contribution to pro-poor access in post conflict Northern Uganda

ABSTRACT Background: The perception within literature and populace is that the private for-profit sector is for the rich only, and this characteristic results in behaviours that hinder advancement of Universal health coverage (UHC) goals. The context of Northern Uganda presents an opportunity for understanding how the private sector continues to thrive in settings with high poverty levels and history of conflict. Objective: The study aimed at understanding access mechanisms employed by the formal private for-profit providers (FPFPs) to enable pro-poor access to health services in post conflict Northern Uganda. Methods: Data collection was conducted in Gulu municipality in 2015 using Organisational survey of 45 registered formal private for-profit providers (FPFPs),10 life histories, and 13 key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics were generated for the quantitative findings whereas qualitative findings were analysed thematically. Results: FPFPs pragmatically employed various access mechanisms and these included fee exemptions and provision of free services, fee reductions, use of loan books, breaking down doses and partial payments. Most mechanisms were preceded by managers’ subjective identification of the poor, while operationalisation heavily depended on the managers’ availability and trust between the provider and the customer. For a few FPFPs, partnerships with Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government enabled provision of free, albeit mainly preventive services, including immunisation, consultations, screening for blood pressure and family planning. Challenges such as quality issues, information asymmetry and standardisation of charges arose during implementation of the mechanisms. Conclusion: The identification of the poor by the FPFPs was subjective and unsystematic. FPFPs implemented various innovations to ensure pro-poor access to health services. However, they face a continuous dilemma of balancing the profit maximization and altruism objectives. Implementation of some pro-poor mechanisms raises concerns included those related to quality and standardisation of pricing.

Fatherhood in the time of war and peace: The experiences of demobilized male soldiers in northern Uganda

During a more than twenty-year conflict in northern Uganda, the rebel group Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) abducted tens of thousands of children and youth, not only pressing them to fight and commit atrocities against a civilian population, but also marry and have children. Thousands of women have since returned with so called children ‘born of war’, conceived of forced marriages in the LRA. While studies demonstrate the familial challenges of reintegration for mothers of children ‘born of war’, we know little about the experiences of demobilized men who are fathers. Based on three years of research with former LRA soldiers in northern Uganda, we examine the gendered expectations of marriage and fatherhood post-conflict, and the particular reintegration challenges experienced by fathers to children ‘born of war’.

Victimisation and challenges to integration: Transitional justice response to children born of war in northern Uganda

Uganda witnessed one of its worst conflicts between 1986 and 2007. The conflict in northern Uganda was between the government troops and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Serious crimes were committed against the civilian population. Women and girls were abducted by the rebels to serve as sex slaves and children were born as a result. After the conflict, these children’s integration has not been well received by their communities. It has not been properly addressed by the state operatives either. The children are dismissed as perpetrators of the conflict. Their return has been marred with stigmatisation and ostracism, forcing them to live on the margins of society. After the conflict, a National Transitional Justice Policy was passed. The overarching framework aims at addressing justice and reconciliation through inter alia social reintegration. However, it leaves an accountability gap. The framework largely departs from the needs of this particular community: acknowledging their existence and integration. The purpose of this article is to identify transitional justice opportunities and how these accommodate and advance accountability, integration and reconciliation in addressing victimisation concerns of the war children. Ultimately, it argues that addressing the abuses of the affected communities will ease social [re]integration.

The Impact of Leaving Camps on Well‐being of Internally Displaced Persons in Northern Uganda

AbstractThe armed conflict in Northern Uganda led to a large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). After the government announced the declaration of free movement on 30 October 2006, a large number of IDPs left camps. Transition from camp life to post‐camp life has important implications for population well‐being. This paper uses the Ugandan National Household Survey conducted in 2005‐2006 and 2009‐2010 and a difference‐in‐differences method to estimate changes in IDPs' well‐being measured by self‐reported heath as well as household food consumption. We do not find a significant effect of leaving camps on self‐reported illness and household food consumption but we find a significant effect on the choice of healthcare providers utilised. The postcamp effect was estimated to increase the use of non‐free health providers, an effect composed of more visits to informal providers and greater choice of formal private providers, when formal providers are utilised. Those findings shed light on policy‐relevant issues in the areas of land rights, recovery of public health systems and gender inequalities in well‐being.

\u201cPosting policies don\u2019t change because there is peace or war\u201d: the staff deployment challenges for two large health employers during and after conflict in Northern Uganda

BackgroundBetween 1986 and 2006, the Acholi region in Uganda experienced armed conflict which disrupted the health system including human resources. Deployment of health workers during and after conflict raises many challenges for managers due to issues of security and staff shortage. We explored how deployment policies and practices were adapted during the conflict and post-conflict periods with the aim of drawing lessons for future responses to similar conflicts.MethodsA cross-sectional study with qualitative techniques for data collection to investigate deployment policy and practice during the conflict and post-conflict period (1986–2013) was used. The study was conducted in Amuru, Gulu and Kitgum districts in Northern Uganda in 2013. Two large health employers from Acholi were selected: the district local government and Lacor hospital, a private provider. Twenty-three key informants’ interviews were conducted at the national and district level, and in-depth interviews with 10 district managers and 25 health workers. This study focused on recruitment, promotions, transfers and bonding to explore deployment policies and practices.ResultsThere was no evidence of change in deployment policy due to conflict, but decentralisation from 1997 had a major effect for the local government employer. Lacor hospital had no formal deployment policy until 2001. Health managers in government and those working for Lacor hospital both implemented deployment policies pragmatically, especially because of the danger to staff in remote facilities. Lacor hospital introduced bonding agreements to recruit and staff their facilities. While managers in both organisations implemented the deployment policies as best as they could, some deployment-related decisions could lead to longer-term problems.ConclusionIt may not be possible or even appropriate to change deployment policy during or after conflict. However, given sufficient autonomy, local managers can adapt deployment policies appropriately to need, but they should also be supported with the necessary human resource management skills to enable them make appropriate decisions for deployment.

Humanitarian urbanism in a post-conflict aid town: aid agencies and urbanization in Gulu, Northern Uganda

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the urban outcomes of protracted humanitarian intervention in Gulu town, Northern Uganda. Using the concept of humanitarian urbanism, we demonstrate how intensive external donor-aid has shaped urbanization in the capital of Northern Uganda. The starting point for our analysis is the recent process of withdrawal of humanitarian NGOs and the shifts from humanitarian to development interventions. This shift was characterized by a special focus on urban development, coordinated by the Ugandan state while largely donor supported. We argue that this shift, instead of introducing an urban involvement of aid agencies in Gulu town, actually reveals a protracted continuum of aid agencies’ interventions in Gulu’s urbanity. The current withdrawal of humanitarian organizations in fact makes the long-term effects of these interventions especially visible. As such, it offers an interesting starting point to investigate processes of humanitarian urbanism and its profound impacts on the urban material, socio-economic and political landscapes. This paper demonstrates how aid agencies, since the armed conflict in Northern Uganda, have been key actors in shaping different dimensions of urban governance. Three case-studies are presented, which variously focus upon the urban educational sector, Gulu’s physical urban planning, and Gulu’s cultural institution. They reveal how today’s reconfigurations of the urban aid-landscape have redrawn the complex relations between urban inhabitants, aid agencies, and the Ugandan state.

Prevalence and risk factors for brucellosis in prolonged fever patients in post-conflict Northern Uganda.

Brucellosis is a disease with significant public and economic implications but strategies for controlling this disease remain problematic. This study sought to determine the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in prolonged fever patients and to identify modifiable risk factors for the infection in humans in post conflict Northern Uganda. The study employed a cross-sectional method among prolonged fever patients who had visited selected health facilities in the study districts in Northern Uganda. Sero-prevalence of brucellosis was calculated for i-ELISA IgG/IgM. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on possible risk factors for brucellosis. Associations between sero-prevalence and risk factors were measured using the Odds Ratio. Brucellosis was confirmed in 18.7% of the 251 patients that tested positive for the disease, with the rapid Brucella Plate Agglutination Test, and ages 10-84 years (median age 47+0.86). Sex (p = 0.001; OR 3.79; 95% CI 1.75 - 8.24), rearing livestock (p < 0.005; OR 8.44; 95% CI 2.84-25.03) and consumption of unpasteurised milk (p = 0.023; OR 2.57; 95% CI 1.14-5.80) were factors associated with brucellosis. Control of brucellosis in animals, training and sensitisation of the community on brucellosis is needed to stimulate action on human brucellosis control.

Intergenerational land conflict in northern Uganda: children, customary law and return migration

AbstractNorthern Uganda is in transition after the conflict that ended in 2006. While its cities are thriving and economic opportunities abound, the social institutions governing land access are contested, the land administration system is changing, and the mechanisms available to address conflicts over resources have themselves become a venue for authority claims. This article examines the intergenerational nature of land conflicts in northern Uganda, focusing on the interplay of customary law, return migration and the development of a market in land. There are three contributions to existing literature: (1) a discussion of children's property rights under customary and statute law in Uganda; (2) the identification of the dual nature of children during complex emergencies as both victims and agents; and (3) an addition to knowledge on post-conflict return and community reconstruction. Evidence comes from several sources, the most important of which are a set of interviews conducted in Gulu and Kampala in May and June 2015. Secondary sources augment the field research, particularly survey research conducted in northern Uganda after the conflict.

Teenage Marriage in Post Conflict Northern Uganda: A Case of Amuru District

Background: Teenage marriage eventually lead to teenage pregnancy with all it associated adverse consequences. Moreover, teenagers are less likely to utilize antenatal care and as well exhibit sub-optimal neonatal care compared to adult women. Thus, the need to report on teenage marriage in order to inform policy makers to provide necessary teenage sexual reproductive health services with relevant policies especially in post-conflict settings like Northern Uganda. Objectives: To describe prevalence and determinants of teenage marriage in post-conflict Northern Uganda. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data was collected from 424 females of reproductive age using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. Univariate and bivariate analyses were carried out using SPSS 16.0. Results: Mean age of study participants was 27 years. Majority of participants (79.0%) and their husbands (67.2%) were peasant farmers. Majority of participants were married (85.8%) with about one-fifth (18.1%) of the participants pregnant at the time of interview. Among the married participants, majority of the participants (65.1%) and their husbands (64.2%) had only primary education. Majority (86.3%) of the married women first got married as teenagers. Mean age at first marriage was 17 years. Women in this population generally got married at early ages. Women who got married at younger ages were lowly educated and generally never had formal paid employments. Likewise, women who got married at younger ages were generally married to lowly educated men with no formal employments. In contrast, women who married later in life had better education and married men with better education level and above all such couples tend to engage in formal paid employments. In addition, women who got married at older ages had less number of live births and desired to give birth to less children than women who got married at younger ages. Conclusions: Women in post-conflict Northern Uganda are experiencing high level of teenage marriage. This put them at risk of not attaining necessary education and employable skills hence poverty. This calls for targeted interventions from both government and development partners in order to reverse the current trend in teenage marriage due to inequality in formal education and other social amenities and thus save the girl child from poverty.

Application of social network analysis in the assessment of organization infrastructure for service delivery: a three district case study from post-conflict northern Uganda.

In post-conflict settings, service coverage indices are unlikely to be sustained if health systems are built on weak and unstable inter-organization networks—here referred to as infrastructure. The objective of this study was to assess the inter-organization infrastructure that supports the provision of selected health services in the reconstruction phase after conflict in northern Uganda. Applied social network analysis was used to establish the structure, size and function among organizations supporting the provision of (1) HIV treatment, (2) maternal delivery services and (3) workforce strengthening. Overall, 87 organizations were identified from 48 respondent organizations in the three post-conflict districts in northern Uganda. A two-stage snowball approach was used starting with service provider organizations in each district. Data included a list of organizations and their key attributes related to the provision of each service for the year 2012–13. The findings show that inter-organization networks are mostly focused on HIV treatment and least for workforce strengthening. The networks for HIV treatment and maternal services were about 3–4 times denser relative to the network for workforce strengthening. The network for HIV treatment accounted for 69–81% of the aggregated network in Gulu and Kitgum districts. In contrast, the network for workforce strengthening contributed the least (6% and 10%) in these two districts. Likewise, the networks supporting a young district (Amuru) was under invested with few organizations and sparse connections. Overall, organizations exhibited a broad range of functional roles in supporting HIV treatment compared to other services in the study. Basic information about the inter-organization setup (infrastructure)—can contribute to knowledge for building organization networks in more equitable ways. More connected organizations can be leveraged for faster communication and resource flow to boost the delivery of health services.

Prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt: associations with psychiatric disorders and HIV/AIDS in post-conflict Northern Uganda.

Research on the prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempt, and cormorbid psychiatric disorders in post-conflict areas is still limited. We explored the prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempt, associated psychiatric disorders and HIV/AIDS in post-conflict Northern Uganda, an area that experienced civil strife for over two decades. A total of 2400 respondents (aged 18 and above) and randomly selected in three districts (Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya), were interviewed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess for associations between suicidality (suicidal ideation and attempt) and psychiatric cormorbidities. The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt were 12.1 % and 6.2 % respectively. Suicidality was significantly (P<0.001) higher among respondents with major depressive disorder (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) = 9.5; 95%CI= 7.4, 12.1) and post-traumatic stress disorder (adjusted OR =2.4; 95%CI= 1.6, 3.6). Men had lower odds of ideating or attempting suicide compared to women (adjusted OR = 0.55; 95%CI: 0.38, 0.82). The prevalence rate of suicide ideation and attempt indicate a major public health problem in post-conflict Northern Uganda. Effective public mental health programs that that target both suicidality and psychiatric co-morbodities will be vital. Special attention should be given to women in post conflict Northern Uganda.

Amnesty on trial: impunity, accountability, and the norms of international law

An emerging consensus regards domestic amnesties for international crimes as generally inconsistent with international law. This legal consensus rests on a norm against impunity: the chief role of international criminal law, and of the fledgling International Criminal Court (ICC), is to end impunity for violators of the worst of criminal acts. But the anti-impunity norm, and the anti-amnesty consensus that has arisen from it, now face serious difficulties. The ICC's role in the ongoing conflict in Northern Uganda illustrates the deadlock that has now emerged between countries wishing to retain the power to use domestic politics and criminal law as tools for negotiation with current or outgoing perpetrators, on the one side, and the ICC's determination to apply a consistent international anti-impunity norm, on the other. The paper argues that the anti-impunity norm itself is based on a narrowly retributivist conception of criminal justice. A broader norm for democratic accountability, by contrast, would continue to prefer prosecutions over amnesties in international law, less for the opportunity for deserved retribution for perpetrators than for the public enactment of the deliberative procedures associated with the rule of law. Keywords: amnesty; impunity; international law; international criminal court Citation: Ethics & Global Politics 2008. DOI: 10.3402/egp.v1i1.1816