Post-Conflict Example: Gender and Youth in Northern Uganda

http://www.heartsforasafeharbor.org/

       I learned about this non-profit from friendship of one of its leaders, Nancy. I worked with her for several months in 2009 at an international Girl Guide center in Switzerland.  She started working with this non-profit after she left Switzerland. I had never really thought of her work from a gender perspective, however I was aware of her work with youth in post-conflict Uganda (in addition to her background growing up in late 1980s/1990s northern Uganda). It was only a year or two ago that I actually looked up this website that details the non-profit and describes its projects and mission.

       With respect to Playing with Fire, I imagine Nancy’s childhood/youth narrative has influenced the types of decisions that she is making with this organization. This is not my story to tell, but I think it is worth thinking about the context in which people who have encountered certain adverse situations in their youth choose to work. In addition to the context, the types of values and ambitions that they carry could also be influenced by their history.

       Now, I would like to relate this blog post to the readings on gender and peace/conflict from two weeks ago. On the “Heart by Heart Project” page, it’s described that Nancy is the one taking initiative, choosing, and developing the post-conflict programs for the young people in this area. This is a good example of a woman’s direct inclusion in the peacebuilding process.  From the description of her responsibilities, she clearly has autonomy in the progression of the development of this conflict resolution program. The approach seems to be opposing the dominant patriarchal system in post-conflict strategies that the Peaceworks (2011) had mentioned.

       The very first youth workshop for the “Heart by Heart Project” that is mentioned was one that specifically targeted young women. It was from this workshop where Nancy identified the need for post-conflict resolution/mediation for the youth. From that point on, it seems like both young men and women are trained in the workshops. I find this to be interesting since the needs that were identified in this demographic were found from the group of young women in the first workshop. Hudson (2009) makes the argument throughout her article that security needs in post-conflict areas are not gender-neutral. I think that this young women led approach is a good example of that.

       Aside from the beginnings of the conflict resolution program, there is no mention of anything like “equal inclusion” of women. Gender issues like “sexual gender based violence” (outlined in the 2012 Strategic Plan document) are covered in their training objectives. I suppose that this could be viewed as gender mainstreaming. Hudson (2009) in her discussion of “African feminist tools” mentions that, to some level, gender mainstreaming is necessary to ensure that women’s issues are being addressed in peace processes. Despite this one section of the 2012 Strategic Plan, it seems like the main target group for participants are the general youth in this region.

       I am curious if this class (you all!) would think that this is a good example of a GAD program addressing peace and conflict.