Uruguay

This thesis is structured in nine chapters. Chapter Two presents the background and context to the research. It provides a brief analysis of the Ugandan history and post-independence political violence that gave way to the war in northern Uganda that went on for almost two decades. The former female abductees in this study were affected by the war through the Lord‘s Resistance Army‘s abductions and returned to a wrecked society following years of fighting and forced

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mass displacement. Particular attention is given to the three impacts of this war: participation of underage children, forced displacement and the increasing poverty rates. Providing a background for this research, these impacts are discussed in relation to the main concerns of the study (child soldiering in captivity and reintegration).

Chapters Three and Four look at the theoretical frameworks for this research. This is achieved through reviewing the contemporary literature on conceptual and theoretical perspectives on post war-reintegration. Both Chapters focus on showing how reintegration as a process and experience is understood and perceived, particularly in African contexts (meaning, approaches, initiatives and determinants/measures). Chapter Three starts off with the definitions of important concepts including ‗girl soldier‘ and ‗child mother‘. DDR‘s standards and definitions are explored, particularly as outlined by the United Nations. A brief overview of DDR framework in northern Uganda is also provided in this Chapter. Chapter Three concludes with a definition and an analysis of ‗reintegration‘, as a concept and process. Chapter Four examines further the question of Reintegration: Going back to what and where? It discusses the socio-economic context of Acholi society and shows how it has been changed by the effects of war. The chapter concludes with an analysis of two measures/determinants of long-term reintegration, including acceptance and stigma.

Chapter Five and the following three chapters discuss and analyse the empirical research findings. Chapter Five details the findings on the first research objective: what were the war experiences of former female child abductees while in captivity? The women in this study were among the thousands of children and adults abducted in Acholi by the rebel group and the chapter looks at abduction and transformation process from being a mere child, a girl, to a rebel, soldier, wife and mother. Hence, the actual experiences of abduction, journey to Sudan, initiation, military training and deployment are discussed. The chapter then looks at life in captivity, including marriage and motherhood under stressful conditions of an armed group. Finally, the chapter discusses the manner in which they left the armed group. The chapter is composed of experiences depicting personal suffering, resilience, agency and resistance, courage, resolve, and triumph, among other characteristics portrayed by girl soldiers. These personal experiences are important because they offer grounding for understanding their long term impacts on the lives of girls and women as they seek to reintegrate into their communities.

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Chapter Six looks at stigmatisation, another central theme in the lives of the study participants. Although there are a number of challenges of social reintegration, the findings show that stigma promotion is a major hindrance to long-term social reintegration. Even though stigma from the women‘s perspective may be partial or distorted, the chapter argues that their perceptions of it should not be minimised or overlooked. The chapter commences with the definition of stigma, carefully breaking down what is meant by stigma in Acholi contexts. The chapter analyses how the women‘s social identity is conceptualised and stigmatised. This is followed by a discussion on the types and outlooks of stigma, how their stigma is sympathised with, and finally, how it hinders their reintegration.

In the following two chapters, two measures of socio-economic reintegration are discussed. Marriage (Chapter Seven) is identified as a major determinant of social reintegration. Through a comparative approach, the study analyses the marriage experiences of formerly abducted girls and their non-abducted peers. Chapter Eight, on the other hand, focuses on the theme of ability to earn money as a determinant of economic reintegration. Similar to Chapter Seven, this experience is discussed in comparison to never-abducted youth. Through this chapter, the study demonstrates that abduction and life in captivity reduce young women‘s livelihood resources, particularly human and social resources. Also, the effects of war further reduce the natural and physical resources that should support them upon return to their communities. With no or limited livelihood strategies in post-conflict situations, they are unable to achieve a sustainable livelihood, which basically defines their successful reintegration.

Lastly, the study is concluded in Chapter Nine. This chapter summarises and retraces the central themes explored and draws conclusions. The author reflects further on her experience of doing research on formerly abducted girls and highlights areas for further research.

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CHAPTER TWO: THE WAR IN NORTHERN UGANDA

This chapter situates the study within the context of socio-historical processes that have shaped the current circumstances in Uganda. Providing a socio-historical review supports an understanding of the complex linkages, challenges and trajectories that contributed to the armed conflict in northern Uganda. The historical background and root causes of this war, and how it evolved over the years, have been extensively studied (see Gersony, 1997; Doom &Vlassenroot, 1999; Allen, 2005; Branch, 2007; among others). The purpose of this chapter is not to add to the already explored genesis and historical background of the war, but briefly to show that this civil war was born out of felt grievances rooted in long-term inequalities. Because the war could not be resolved with measures that addressed the roots of discontent, the fighting went on for almost two decades (1986-2005). The chapter then discusses how the war has affected and created problematic circumstances for adolescents and youth through abduction and displacement. Although a number of opposition movements emerged following President Museveni‘s seizure of power on 26th _{January 1986, the concern in this thesis is the Lord‘s Resistance Army}

insurgency, the most persistent as well as the most destructive rebellion in the region.

The chapter commences with an introduction to this East African country, highlighting important socio-economic characteristics. Keeping the focus on the armed conflict in northern Uganda, the chapter discusses the rise of spirit movements in Acholi and highlights two dimensions/explanations that have dominated the literature on the war: did the Lord‘s Resistance Army have a rational motive for fighting? And, were they simply a religious/spiritual movement terrorising their own people? The study uses some of the first-hand information provided by the participants in constructing an understanding of the LRA and its strategies.The chapter then looks at three impacts of the war, including abduction of the under-aged; forced displacement; and, finally, the declining economic situation of Northern Uganda, where reintegration of the formerly abducted adolescents is taking place.

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