Parallel Session 2 – Peacebuilding: Shifting from State to the Individual

PRESENTATION 1, Local governance and peasants’ expectations; focusing post-conflict Acholi sub-region, northern Uganda – By Sulayman Mpisi Babiiha, Gulu University

Introduction

• The Acholi sub-region is just recovering from the 20-year armed insurgency during which almost half of the time people were in IDP camps.
• After the signing of Secession of Hostilities Agreement between GoU and LRM in 2006, peasant were expected to go back to their homes.
• By June 2009, almost 90% of IDPs had gone back home or they were on their way home.
• But problems of basic social services, especially, water, education and health still remained a formidable challenge in most return areas.
• They expected the government (read LGs) to do something about it before they could return.
• The creation of more districts at about that time increased their hopes for better services in the return areas.
• Their expectations were further heightened by the reasons government gives for creation of more LGs: to bring services closer/nearer to the people.
• So, the more LGs, the more efficiency expected by the peasants in service delivery.
• Hence, increase in LGs; in Acholi sub-region from 3 to 7 (2006 – 2011) was expected to quicken recovery process by bringing services closer to the peasants and thus promote peace in the sub-region

The Problem

• However, in spite of the many districts (LGs) created:

human development indicators for the region still remain comparatively the lowest in Uganda

Peasants in the return areas still complain of inefficiencies in delivery of basic services, especially, water, education and health

The major Objective

• To establish why the creation of many LGs in post-conflict Acholi sub-region has not translated into effective service delivery in education and health in the return areas.

Research questions

• What were the people’s expectations of the newl LGs in the Acholi sub-region after the war?
• Has the creation of more districts resolved these expectations towards recovery and peace in the sub-region?

The Theory (1)

• In 1950s and 1960s, local governance was contested seriously on the basis that local peasants lacked the necessary foresight to plan for the future, hence their participation in local governance would not lead to desired development objectives.
• It is the works of scholars like Paul Freire and later, Robert Chambers, that eventually influenced change of perception on the matter.
• Hence, local participation (at LG level) is seen as a key to overcoming bottlenecks in effective service delivery to the local communities

The Theory (2)

• WB study (Junne and Verkoren 2005) has established a two-way relationship between conflict and poverty:

pervasive poverty makes societies more vulnerable to violent conflict, while conflict itself creates more poverty

Hence, the nature of post-conflict policy and its ability to deal with socio-economic dimensions of conflict causation is a very important issue.

• This explains why most efforts concentrate on re-establishing basic social services (Boyce 2003) as a measure of creating peace and stability in post-war communities.
• The assumption is that effective basic services are one of the means to forestall the possibility of continued conflicts in the post-conflict era.
• Miall et al (1999) argue that for durable peace to be achieved, three broad areas must be dealt with: political incapacity, social economic debilitation, and psycho-social trauma.
• Education and health are crucial in all the three.
• In this study, we hold that in addition to being rights, socio-economic factors (education and health) are critical in maintaining peace and stability in post-conflict Acholi sub-region.
• Therefore, our focus is on the local governments’ capacity to deliver their socio-economic obligations (in education and health) to the local people as is expected of them.

Methodology

• The research is a cross-sectional survey of service delivery in basic education and primary health care by LGs following the creation of more districts in the Acholi sub-region.
• Cross-sectional survey is best suited for obtaining overall picture of situation as it stands at the time of the study (Kumar 2003).
• It is that it is also cheap – only one contact with the study population and the data obtained is fairly easy to analyse (Ranjit Kumar 2003).
• The researcher generally applied both qualitative and quantitative modes of data collection.
•  In addition to statistics, the researcher wanted to bring out the people’s attitudes, behaviour and emotions which, according to Mugenda and Mugenda (2003), are best captured through qualitative techniques.
• It was also seen that the two could reinforce each other; that hard data and statistics would be supplemented by in-depth explanations and direct quotes of respondents.

Data Collection

• A sample of 172 respondents was selected using purposive sampling – covering various categories of population in Amuru and Pader districts. Three tiers sampling was used: district, sub-county, and parish.
• The data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, one-on-one interviews with selected respondents, focus group discussions, observation, and official records and statistics.
• The data was then coded, edited, and analysed using descriptive statistics where applicable in order to test whether it answers the research questions (Gay, 1983)

Participation and Empowerment

• The LGA, 1997 puts participation at the centre of decentralised governance.
• For Rehman and Rehman (1998), participation refers to ‘organised efforts to increase control over resources and regulative institutions by groups and movements of those [formerly] excluded from such control’.
• In the 1990 Human Development Report, Mahbub-ul Haq adds to the definition and explains participation as operating at three levels: contribution, organisation and empowerment. LGs were thus analysed through the three levels
• Contribution is in form of: ideas, labour, funding, etc.
• Organisational level is the LG at LC I, III, and V – fed by special interest groups, e.g., women, PwDs, youth, CSOs, etc.
• Empowerment is at 2 levels (Deasai and Potter 2002): i) decision-making (political), and ii) action processes (skills)

both are functions of the people’s capabilities (Sen); and they are mutual.

Empowerment and Human Development

• Uganda’s PEAP (now NDP) provides the main definition of Human development in Uganda’s development policy framework which provides for local governance.
• Under the framework, human development is the process of expanding human capabilities, opportunities and choices in line with Nissbaum’s concept of justice and fairness
• So, human development is a form of empowerment that addresses issues of equity, and rights that contribute significantly to peace-building.
• This cannot be achieved without effective service delivery in education and health.
• Hence, peasants’ expectations to be empowered for more effective participation in local governance.

Findings

• Availability of data in the districts is still one of the major challenges in new districts, usually attributed to lack of equipment and adequate resources.
• A number of districts don’t have specialised skilled personnel to handle basic issues like data management which is very important in service delivery.
• Amuru district has 9 sub-counties and 51 parishes; population stands at 210,500 (UN-OCHA Estimates, 2009) with 99% as peasants living in rural areas.
• The main economic activity of the people is subsistence agriculture (peasants).
• There are 95 operational primary schools in the 51 parishes of the district.
•  But  seven parishes don’t have any primary school at all.
• However, over-crowded classrooms, lack of staff houses, unqualified teachers, and teachers’ and pupils’ absenteeism remain among major challenges in the existing schools. this is contrary to the people’s expectataions. The outcome has been poor performance in examinations and very low literacy rates in the district.
• On the side of health, each of the 9 sub-counties has a Health Centre III but 24 parishes out of the 51 in the district did not have operational public health facilities.
•  But even those that have centres claimed they did not get adequate services most of the time.
• Pader district, with a population of 448,800 (UN-OCHA Estimates, 2009) was found to be slightly better off than Amuru. In line with the UPE policy government has invested in construction of classrooms in most schools. This was being supplemented by donor projects. The total classroom space stood at 2,568 with a gap of 1,320 (Pader District Rolling Plan 2009-2012). The teacher-pupil ratio was at 1:81; the classroom-pupil ratio was 1:112, while the pupil-desk ratio was at 10:1.
• 54 schools are (were) still operating under trees (Pader District Strategic Development Plan 2008-2011). The health system in Pader District was still overwhelmed by high morbidity and mortality levels resulting from low nutritional levels, malaria and other preventable and curable diseases found in most tropical Africa. There was inadequate supply of drugs, equipment, personnel and little health awareness creation and education. The infant mortality rate (imr) in the district stood at a staggering 165/1,000 live births (compared to national average – 83/1000) while life expectancy was as low as 42 years compared to the national average of 52.
• The literacy rate was at 21.6% and 18% for male and female respectively, giving an average of 39.3% while the UPE completion rate was at 26% for boys and 17% for girls (Pader District Strategic Development Plan 2008-2011).
• Generally, there are also problems associated with insufficient funding of the two sectors.
• Statistics indicated that about 80% of the funds to run the districts come from the central government. It was revealed that such funds come with conditions attached and therefore, cannot be available to LGs to address their special concerns.
• There is also the problem of local councillors being manipulated by technical LG staff as most of them have little or no education and can thus not execute their oversight role effectively.
• Corruption and lack of accountability were also cited. 77% of respondents said they are fed up with corrupt officials but they felt it was useless to complain as nothing was expected to come of it.
•                 Manifestations of the corruption were mainly in form of shoddy work, especially in the construction of classrooms and health facilities
• 80% respondents said they only contribute ideas at initial stages only, the rest is too technical.
• Politicians were more involved but 60% of respondents said it was because it is their obligation
• NGOs (and CSOs) rarely participate when they don’t have a running project in the area.
• Local Councillors found challenges in playing their oversight role due to low levels of education, hence, most of them esp. at lower levels were ineffective.

Conclusion

• Local peasants had expected better services, especially in education and health after the conflict. They are still expecting.
• The more LGs created have not resolved the challenges of poor service delivery to the local peasants in the return areas.
• If lasting peace is to be achieved, there should be effective service delivery in the return areas

Recommendations

• Minimum academic standards should be set for LC contestants at all levels to enable them play their oversight role more effectively for better service delivery and avoidance of further conflict.
• Scarce skills in LGs should be shared between districts to improve their effectiveness to all the expected beneficiaries. But a better idea is to have only those districts that are viable.
• More funding be availed to LGs specifically in the area of social services as a form of peace-building.

PRESENTATION 2, Youth Unemployment, Illiteracy and Crime – By Mike Ocaka

Introduction

In Uganda more than 1,000 ex-offenders and over 300 children in remand homes are released from various prisons.  it is disheartening that ex-offenders/ prisoners and children in conflict with law  have to live with the stigma of having served time behind bars when they are released from prison, one that can often be more punishing than the prison sentence itself. Many ex-offenders, children in conflict with law once released, find themselves literally stepping into a second prison. This time it would be a prison with invisible bars, of suspicion, of mistrust, discrimination with total of frustration.

As the Prisons Act, 2006 provides for the mandate and functions of a Uganda Prisons Service composed of Central and former Local Government Prisons and spells out the duties of the UPS as to protect, promote and fulfill the rights of those incarcerated. Section 3 spells out the key objective as “to contribute to the protection of all members of society by providing reasonable, safe, secure and humane custody and rehabilitation of offenders in accordance to universally accepted standards”.

1. To facilitate the social rehabilitation and reformation of prisoners through specific Training and educational programmes.
2. To facilitate the re-integration of prisoners into their communities

Crime and Literacy

• Illiteracy among adults increases present and future socioeconomic vulnerability, and is a significant factor in the reproduction of such vulnerability through youth and children including adult.
• Illiterate persons face greater obstacles in terms of social insertion, not only on a personal level (social inclusion difficulties, precarious work, high rates of disease, etc.), but also within the family (child nutrition, hygiene, health and schooling, among others) and at a societal level (lower productivity, high health care costs).
• Illiterate adults face serious employability issues, given their low level of knowledge and expertise. This is attributable to a lack of formal schooling, caused either by an early departure from school to enter the labour market or the loss over time of the ability to read and write.
• Illiteracy in  developed and un development countries is still growing at an alarming rate and that fact has not changed much since Rudolf Flesch wrote his best-selling expose of reading instruction in 1955. Illiteracy continues to be a critical problem, demanding enormous resources from local, state, and federal taxes, while arguments about how to teach children to read continue to rage within the education research community,  in business, and in the classroom.
• youth and Children of disadvantaged parents begin their school life behind their peers. Parents with minimal or no reading skills often cannot provide the kind of support their children need to do well in school. Analysis has shown a direct correlation between young people’s test scores and the grade level attained by their parents is very low in northern Uganda  therefore Illiteracy is an Incurable Disease or Education Malpractice?
• In addition, illiterate persons have little awareness of their rights and duties, and may thus be inclined to accept precarious, low-quality employment contracts.
• The impact of adult illiteracy can be divided into the following categories: health, education, economics and social integration and cohesion.
• With regard to health, research shows that illiteracy significantly limits an individual’s ability to understand messages and absorb knowledge necessary for self care – particularly among women. This has a negative impact on household health, hygiene and nutrition (UNESCO, 2006). The effects of this phenomenon are reflected within the household (both in general terms and in the mother-child relationship), at the workplace and in sexual and reproductive behaviour.
• With regard to education, illiterate parents tend to have lower educational expectations and aspirations for themselves and for their children. Poor families often place work before education, due to the opportunity cost of the latter. Thus, children of parents who have failed to complete primary education tend to do the same. A close link has also been found to exist between parents’ schooling and the academic performance of their children. As noted by Carneiro, Meghir and Parey (2007), the greater a mother’s schooling, the fewer behavioural problems her children will exhibit, and the lower their repetition rate will be.
• When parents are uninvolved in their children’s education, the latter are more likely to display behavioural problems, have poor grades, repeat school years and even discontinue their formal education.
• From an economic perspective, literacy and schooling have been shown to significantly affect individual income (Riveros, 2005). In un developed cuntries, income and schooling are strongly correlated. Young people who do not complete primary schooling are less likely to obtain jobs good enough to avoid poverty (Goicovic, 2002).
• In terms of social integration and cohesion, illiterate persons are often denied the social recognition they deserve, and suffer from low self-esteem, display little autonomy and possess little ability for critical thinking (UNESCO, 2006). They also become victims of “deception” (Lind, 1996). Illiterate persons have limited opportunities to become acquainted with and make use of the individual rights to which they are entitled by law, or to participate actively in the attainment of the collective rights that are essential to human dignity.

Recidivism (The voice of Prison calling you back again )

• Ongoing research and reports shows that, the effects of imprisonment are different for each person who finds him or she incarcerated and not every prisoner suffers negative effects after release. However, the majority of the youth, former LRA and children in conflict with law in the region who are incarcerated suffer long-term consequences of their imprisonment.
• Upon their release from prison and remand homes  many inmates do not have a job, have a hard time creating ties with family and friends, abuse drugs and/or alcohol, or may become involved in crime again and taken back to prisons within a short time .  Life outside prison can be difficult for ex-prisoners to adjust, given that the psychological adaptations inmates make while in prison are often maladaptive once they are released. For example, while the prison, inmates are totally dependent on the structure of the institution (free food, accommodation, water, soap, blanket etc ).
• These specific people if released, they may have difficulty in initiating many day-to-day tasks. In addition, ex-inmates often have trouble trusting others, since they have grown accustomed to the dangerous atmosphere of prison life some of the other issues faced by ex-prisoners include: PTSD symptoms, social isolation, psychological distancing and a diminished value of self-worth. In addition to that,  there are many people in our prisons who are guilty of nothing. Some couldn’t afford a qualified attorney, some were threatened and railroaded. Some are victims of devious prosecutors whose pay raises often depend on the number of convictions they get. But no matter why they are there, guilty or not. They deserve to be treated with decency as part of fundamental human right.

Results

• Level of education improved in UPS and out side
• Improved on rehabilitative and case management for the ex-convicts
• Number of crime reduced in the region through job placement
• Policy and advocacy improved through complaint mechanism.
• Improved livelihood and attitudinal change in UPS
• Changes in proportions of household income sources, food sources and expenditure
• Changes in family income after one year
• Changes in family debt patterns (type of loan, amount, from whom, for what)
• Changes in family coping strategy pattern

Improved understanding on key issues that adversely affects  programming

• Change in the knowledge, attitude and practices towards ex convicts and children in conflict with law
• Increase in number and involvement to generate acceptance by the communities members to the offenders and give them second chance.

Peace building: message/linkages

• Justice system should be clear for effective peace building and linkage especially those in conflict with law?

Policy Recommendations

REHABILITATIVE AND AFTER CARE PROGRAMMING

• As part of corrections measures several initiatives should be developed to help ex-offenders reintegrate, including rehabilitative and aftercare programmes and these should include

1. Case Management Framework Programme (CMF),.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EX CONVICTS

• As mandated by the government of Uganda ,they should help provide employment assistance to offenders under the various work release schemes and to ex-offenders. By helping them secure jobs, they gain financial stability and a restored sense of self-worth and respect.
• We also encourage the government of Uganda through the Uganda Prisons Services and labour union of Uganda to support /introduced  Employment Assistance and also provision of Corporate Adoption Scheme (CAS) where employers appoint supervisors as mentors to provide personalized attention, guidance and support to ex-offenders in the workplace.

COMPUTERIZED DATA BASE SYSTEMS

• Government should Endeavour to maintain a computerized database of all the ex convicts and those on remand, this is ensure trust and honest so that companies from various industries know the crime status. Thus to reflect corporate social responsibilities for companies to pay market rate wages and are willing to accept offenders/ex-offenders as employees. For the recent upgrade of timecard registration should used for tracking and reducing crime rates

COMPLAINT MECHANISM

• Translated complaint mechanism should be published and distributed among the target audience focusing on strengthening accountability to beneficiaries by addressing complaints on human right violation, improving on education standard in the Uganda prisons service as part of corrections measures and complete rehabilitation.
• Beneficiaries especially the ex-prisoners and the convicts to voice their complaints on relevant issues within the control of UPS and stakeholders to have options in redressed.

PRESENTATION 3, Gender and Generation in Acholi Traditional Justice Mechanisms – By Kate Lonergan and Ketty Anyeko

Introduction

• Are traditional justice mechanisms relevant to the unique post-conflict recovery concerns of women and youth?
• For the purposes of this study:

–      Traditional justice: culturally-based practices and ceremonies which can be used to address crimes and violations.

–      Transitional justice: “judicial and non-judicial measures implemented…in order to redress the legacies of massive human rights abuses” International Center for Transitional Justice, ictj.org

Methodology

–      Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with the target groups in Acholi sub-region

–      Preliminary findings of a study spanning December 2011 – August 2012

Results

• Role of Women

–      Involved in preparing and offering food

–      Direct involvement when subject of ceremony

–      Elderly women have some opportunity for direct involvement and influence

–      Women can bring attention to problems within family or community

• Role of Youth

–      Observation and learning

–      Ceremonies usually organized and motivated by parents and elders, rather than youth

• Ceremonies are effective for community reconciliation and reintegration for women and youth, but less effective for their personal healing

–      “The advice given by the different leaders helps a lot to prevent and stop stigma on those who have come back from the bush”

Male youth, Lamogi sub-county, Amuru District

–      “This [healing] actually depends on ones wish. If one believes that he or she will get better from the problem, then he or she will feel well.”

–      Fear that changing roles and duties of women and youth may change spiritual impact of ceremonies

–      Women and youth desire greater voice and influence within existing technical roles in the ceremonies

–      “In Acholi culture, we trust the elders. That is why we trust them to do the ceremonies, but they should also ask youth to participate.”

Focus group discussion with three youth, Amida sub-county, Kitgum District

Female respondent, Kabedopong, Gulu Town

Peacebuilding: message/linkages

• Traditional justice mechanisms are a helpful way for women and youth to improve community relations and assist with reintegration
• Traditional justice should be part of a diverse transitional justice response
• Women and youth want a stronger voice in relation to traditional ceremonies, rather than different technical roles

Policy Recommendations

• To Ker Kwaro Acholi:

–      Take a lead role in creating space for women and youth to share views on traditional ceremonies

–      Enhance participation of women and youth in the planning, process and implementation of traditional justice ceremonies

–       Integrate women and youth justice challenges into all activities

–      Work with individual victims and perpetrators of serious crimes to facilitate community reconciliation

• To Policy Makers

–      JLOS should develop alternative transitional justice mechanisms aimed towards women and youth for situations where traditional practices are not preferred

–      To Community Members

–      Understand and respect the role of traditional ceremonies, particularly on broader community reconciliation

–      Educate youth to appreciate and understand cultural values

PRESENTATION 4, Traditional Mechanism of Conflict Resolution: Reconciliation and Forgiveness – By Nelson Aytam

Outline

Background

ü  Purpose of the work

• Objectives of the study
• Literature
• Methods
• Findings

ü  recommendations

ü  Conclusion

Background

• The Iteso and Karamojong of north east Uganda have existed side by side for centuries. They are closely related communities who trace back their origins to Ethiopia, and came to inhabit the arid lands in the far north east of Uganda.
• But the extremely harsh conditions of the life pushed younger members of the community to seek a better opportunities elsewhere leaving the elderly behind. Hence the names of the tribes reflect the way the youth saw the elderly and vice versa.
• Hence the names of the tribes reflect the way the youth saw the elderly and vice versa.
• Both traditionally pastoralist communities, the two groups have strived for amicable relations and depended on each other for their survival in harsh environments for example, trading and intermarrying. There have also been conflicts involving cattle rustling and disputed boundaries.
• Before the advent of contemporary conflict resolution mechanisms, pastoralist communities developed and refined over time their own mechanisms for resolving local level disputes both within their communities and with others.
• These were based on solid traditional institutions such as mediation through a Council of Elders.

Purpose

• The purpose of this research is to understand the true meaning of conflict, reconciliation and how conflict can be resolved in anon-violent way without creating more enemity among inclusive parties.

Objectives

• To investigate the traditional mechanism of conflict resolution in northern Uganda.
• To find out the ways in which conflicting parties can be reconciled.
• To overcome the traditional thinking of solving conflicting by fighting, quarrelling.

Literature Review

• Baker Ochola, Bishop Emeritus of the Anglican diocese of Kitgum defines   “Mato oput” as the traditional reconciliation ritual carried out by traditional Acholi leaders to subdue the bitter relationship between the warring parties the essence of the process is non violent reconciliation.
• “Mato oput involves the man or woman accepting responsibility for their actions and repenting for their crimes against their brothers and sisters,”
• The process of the ritual is symbolic to the parties involved in conflict and society as a whole.
• For instance, in Northern Uganda LRA rebels have abducted over 30,000 children, killed hundreds of people, maimed, raped and caused further atrocities that are beyond description, but through the “mato oput” or reconciliation process, community members forgives them for their atrocious acts committed against the people.
• CONFLICT RESOLUTION MECHANISMS
  • Using community of elders
  • System of compensation
  • Cleansing and re-integration ceremonies
  • Negotiation and compensation
• The non-violent approaches to conflict resolution.
  • “Mato Oput”
  • “gomo tong
  • Forgiveness
  • Reconciliation

Methods

• The method used to get this data was through interviewing of a few individuals within the local community of Amuria and nakapiririt districts, these community members included both men, women and children as all of them are victimized on several occasions.

Findings

• The findings of this research was based much on the uncultured way through which some community members solve conflict  in violent way like through beating of wives, children and quarreling through out.

Recommendations

• The government should provide effective methods of solving conflict in that community members should be trained time and again on the importance of non-violent methods of conflict resolution in the community.
• people should also learn  how to adapt customs of compensation for crimes, including murder and theft, to modern times.
• Both o these tribes should learn how to promote the role of women within these mechanisms, including as chiefs or elders.
• people should know how to address the issues of inequality, corruption in the society for example by the establishment of  community based oversight board or a form of appeal.
•  Setting of guidelines to help decide which situations should be dealt with by the traditional mechanisms and which ones by the formal justice system

Conclusion

• The challenge for local and national government is that development of economic opportunities, revitalization of traditional conflict resolution institutions, improved security, health and education services in the communities and disarmament need to take place in unison as the absence of one element can jeopardize the success of the whole programme.
• Without sustainable livelihood alternatives  raiding will be seen as the only way to overcome poverty.
• Disempowerment disarmament measures will encounter forceful resistance as long as communities feel threatened by their neighbors and so on.

PRESENTATION 5, Perceptions of Peace and Conflict impact of the PRDP – By Stephen Okello

Introduction

• International Alert is leading the Advisory Consortium on Conflict Sensitivity (ACCS)  in measuring Output 1, which entails monitoring the extent to which interventions under the PRDP, particularly those funded by DFID, succeed or fail in contributing to the achievement of peace in northern Uganda.
• To achieve this objective International Alert developed a monitoring framework which measures peace and conflict indicators (PCIs) that are perceptual.
• The monitoring framework, is applied in developing a baseline with the overall aim of identifying bench marks upon which monitoring of Output 1 is conducted
• The monitoring framework developed articulates five measurable perception indicators  upon which the baseline is generated.

The five perception indicators are:

• Perceptions of peace and security (Goal level indicator, measures both human security and political security)
• Perceptions of responsiveness of local government to community needs (measures long-term feelings of marginalization and alienation as a result of the major investment in promoting greater efficiency in service delivery articulated by PCDP).
• Perceptions on community level security and incidence of SGBV (measures issues such as availability of dispute resolution mechanisms; investment in social capital; dimensions of marginalization versus mutual support; social networking level of self-destructive behavior like alcohol abuse)
• Perceptions of economic opportunity among selected groups (measures long term patterns of social exclusion in the economic sphere as a result of the effort to stimulate broad-based opportunities).
• Perception of competition and grievances between different PRDP regions; and between north and south of Uganda (measures the overall assumption that a catch-up development programme such as PRDP will promote national harmony by addressing imbalances e.g. poverty indicators).

Survey Process:

• The survey process was initiated through an inception meeting in which interpretation of each PCI  was made and the relevant data to be collected along by developing and reviewing the draft questionnaire. This yielded a revised proposal and a revised data collection tool.
• Sample determination for the survey, assumed that all persons who were 18 years and above in the selected survey locations were eligible for interview.
• On the basis of this, the UBOS 2011 population projections were used to determine sample quotas that would come from each selected location in the baseline districts.
• The survey districts as well as the sub counties were preselected by International Alert, in each district two sub counties were selected.
• The consultant had discretion over parishes in which the data was collected.

Results

ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

• There was expectation within the communities that NGOs and SACCOs would finance investments.  17% of males and 23% of females. On basic survival, over 74% of respondents felt they could survive on “their own income” or the income of their “spouses”15%. More males 82% than females 68% could survive on their own income.
• More women (77.6%) than men (50.4%) earn 50,000 shillings or less per week from non-agricultural activities.
• Income from agricultural activities across regions shows more women (24.3%) earn 50,000 shillings or less compared to men (14.6%) as more men (11.4%) than women (5.7%) who earn in excess of 500,000 shillings per season from their agricultural livelihood activities.
• Cash savings are kept within Village Savings and Loan Schemes rather than in formal banks. In-kind savings take the form of livestock for 35% of males and 31% of females.
• 54.5% of the respondents involved could readily access credit if they needed to. At district level, Lamwo (68.1%) and Gulu (69.4%) districts had more female respondents attesting to being able to access credit compared to the other districts. VSLA were the most common sources of credit among women (52.2%) and men (39.6%), formal banks were more accessed by men (19.7%) than women (7.4%) for credit. At the same time, SACCOs and Microfinance institutions featured less as sources of credit among both women and men.
• 63% of the respondents did not feel marginalized in economic terms compared to 37% who reported levels of marginalisation. Most respondent reported unfair treatment by LC1 37% and clan leaders 22%.
• 69% of the respondents who reported their concerns to authorities were satisfied with the way they were addressed.
• Most outstanding reason given for limited economic opportunities in the communities was the lack of employment opportunities mentioned by 23.2% of the respondents; followed by discrimination of government programs mentioned by 18%, while bad leadership was mentioned by 16.9% and lack of proper training by 13% of the respondents.

PERCEPTION OF PEACE AND SECURITY

• Most common types of conflict were associated with land either as boundary disputes between neighbors (33.2%), family or household level land problems (19.4%), evictions (18.7%) and inter-clan land problems (13.3%). Gender based violence also featured as a conflict category characterized by fights between husbands and wives (14.3%) and fights between co-wives (5.4%). Theft was repeatedly mentioned as a key driver of conflict as result of community members losing various belongings ranging from livestock (13.6%) to agricultural produce (5.4%) and household assets (8.2%) which has a linkage to a heightened sense of insecurity. The lead cause of conflict was identified as destruction of boundary markers (40%), followed by limited access to land (27.7%).
• Walking around at night was the most insecure thing to do since 47.5% of the respondents feared to do it, this was followed by the fear to meet or talk with former LRA commanders as reported by 38.6% of the respondents.18.7% did not feel safe while sleeping at night, while 18% of the respondents feared to meet strangers.
• Lack of committee fees and lack of witness were the commonest reasons for failure of resolving conflicts. Lira district had the highest percentage of respondents whose conflicts could not be resolved as a result of having no witnesses with 37.5% followed by respondents in Lamwo at 23.3%. Amuru district had 27.5% of the respondents failing to have their conflict resolved as a result of lack of committee fees followed by Kitgum district with 21.1%. Overall, 20.2% of the respondents mentioned not having witnesses followed by 19.7% who mentioned that they did not have committee fees as the causes of failure to have their conflicts resolved.
• Most conflicts were reported to have been resolved at LC1 (32.7%), followed by resolution by clan/ traditional leaders (21.7%). Other significant mentions were of the police (12.4%) and LC 2 (13.8%). Overall, 46.3% of the respondents report that it took less than one month to have their conflicts resolved; 39.8% of them had their conflicts resolved within 1 to 11 months while 13.9% of them had their conflicts resolved in more than 11 months

LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIVENESS TO COMMUNITY NEEDS

• 56.4% were not satisfied with the general level of service delivery by the local governments in their communities with more female (58.2%) than male (54.5%) holding this perception.
• In terms of access to services extended by government to the community, primary education was the major service constituting 19.5% of all the responses followed by water sources constituting 13.6% of the responses, 9.8% of the responses were about provision of secondary schools.
• Maintenance and security had 7.5% of the responses, 7% cited the provision of agricultural extension services while 6.8% of the responses were about provision of income generating activities to groups.
• The rating of the respondents’ confidence in the commitment of their local governments to improve service delivery was designed using a scale of 1 to 3 where; 1= Not Confident, 2= Confident and 3=Very Confident. Overall, the ratings for ‘Very Confident’ on all aspects of serviced delivery investigated were below 20% indicating a general lukewarm attitude to commitments made by local governments.
• In terms of distance to access points for the services, 43.4% of the respondents were staying within 0.1 to 1 kilometer of the nearest health centre, 41.1% were staying within 1.1 to 5 kilometers of the nearest health centre while 12.8% were between 5.1 to 10 kilometers away. It is also shown that 62.4% of the respondents were staying within 0.1 to 1 kilometer of the nearest primary school, 34.9% were staying within 1.1 to 5 kilometers of the nearest primary school while 2.3% were between 5.1 to 10 kilometers away. 50.9% of the respondents were staying within 1.1 to 5 kilometers of the nearest secondary school, 25.7% were staying within 0.1 to 1 kilometer of the nearest secondary school while 14.5% were between 5.1 to 10 kilometers away.

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES AND IMPACT OF PRDP AS A CATCH-UP PROGRAM

• Results show that the levels of dissatisfaction were high. This was manifested in the large percentages of respondents both male and female who reported that conditions were much better in other regions as compared to their own. The ratings for “much better” were generally above 45% reaching highs of 73.2% for males and 69.7% for females as a sign of discontent with the level of business vibrancy in other regions. All other aspects were also much better in other regions pointing further to the high level of dissatisfaction.
• The only exceptions was where respondents felt they had an advantage over other regions with regard to; how gardens looked liked, working in groups and understanding of other languages. The ratings for “better” ranged between 19-45% while the ratings for “not any better” did not exceed 25% for all conditions save for the three exceptions mentioned earlier.
• Larger percentages of respondents from the districts of Lamwo (53.2%), Otuke (53.4%), Lira (50.9%), Kitgum (57.1%) and Gulu (50.5%) admitted that government was addressing the imbalances between communities. It is only in Amuru district where the largest percentage of respondents (51.8%) felt that government was not addressing imbalances between communities.
•  Overall, 46% of the respondents rated government’s efforts to address imbalances between communities as bad, 30% rated government fair, 23% good while 1% rated the government’s efforts excellent. Results also show that a larger percentage of respondents (58.9%) felt marginalized by government’s efforts in addressing imbalances, only 41.1% felt that they were not marginalized. Amuru district had the highest percentage of respondents (66.5%) who felt marginalized, followed by Otuke (61.5%), Gulu (58.6%) and least of all were respondents in Kitgum (50.8%).

Peacebuilding: message/linkages

• The economic transition in post conflict Acholi and Lango, appears to have taken root because we see that irrespective of gender, the most popular investment choices were starting a business, investing in education of children and buying cattle. The community perception that they can survive on their own income or that of the spouse could be an indicator that the region is experiencing stable growth in house hold income as a result of stability and peace. More people are also accessing credit across Acholi and Lango although from Village Saving and Loan Associations as opposed to Banks, Microfinance institutions/SACCOs. This means that, the recovery process in northern Uganda is taking root and households are pre-ocupied with the idea of wealth creation

• Majority of community members were involved in conflict with more men than women.
• The common types of conflict are associated to land – either as boundary disputes between neighbours, family or household level land problems, evictions and inter-clan land problems.
• Gender based violence also still remains common as a conflict category characterized by fights between husbands and wives and fights between co-wives.
• Theft is common and has repeatedly been perceived as a key driver of conflict.
• The fact that more men are involved in land conflict indicates that communities are in the process of resettlement and are rebuilding their welfare after many years of displacement and thus gender roles changing as well.
• The LCI system is the most effective dispute resolution mechanism. This means that government presence in the communities is being felt.
• Access to dispute or conflict resolution centres, is difficult due to distance, lack of committee fee and witnesses indicating that dispute resolution is still a challenge in the transition phase throughout Acholi and Lango.
• It appears that in terms of sustainable peace initiatives in the communities, sensitization is a reliable approach followed by community dialogue as well as peace training and community peace committees.
• Walking around at night was the most insecure thing to do followed by the fear to meet or talk with former LRA commanders. Some members strongly emphasized that they did not feel safe while sleeping at night, and feared to meet strangers. This perception on fear indicates that communities are still traumatized from the many years of violence and torture.
• On local government, majority of communities are not satisfied with the general level of service delivery. More female than male find service delivery by their local governments not satisfactory.
• Majority  don’t participate in local government planning activities and that the most common services extended by government to the communities, were primary education, water sources and provision of secondary schools.
• The distance in terms of access points for the services, are varied meaning that services still need to be extended to strategic locations where the population can easily reach team.
• The major service lacking was the provision of income generating activities to groups, followed by lack of agricultural extension services as well as deficiency in garden opening by tractors under NUSAF. The lack of boreholes, access to secondary schools road construction and maintenance was also pronounced. Generally, the rating of local government service delivery revealed a lukewarm attitude.
• Strong perception of communities that they do not compare  well with other communities in the same region on nearly all conditions with the exception for how gardens looked and this was particularly high among member who have travelled to other regions and that conditions were much better in other regions as compared to their own.
• Small percentage think that  government was addressing the imbalances between communities have rated government efforts to addressing these imbalances as bad.

Policy Recommendations

General

• The economic transition in post conflict Acholi and Lango, appears to have taken root and therefore, efforts should be increased to provide credit facilities so that communities are able to access more business friendly credit as the process of recovery is consolidated.
• The elderly and vulnerable members of the community need to be supported so that they are able to improve their welfare and also feel that they are part of the wider community.
• Other dispute resolution mechanisms should be encouraged so that communities have their disputes resolved in a harmonious manner which encourages co-existence.
• The rampant land conflicts need to be resolved as soon as possible, before they de-generates into full-blown conflicts on wider scale. They also urgently need to be resolved because such conflicts disrupt existing momentum to full recovery.
• Access to dispute or conflict resolution centres, should be reduced by extending services nearer to the new settlement locations and committee fee should be disbanded so that community members who can afford these services can also access justice.
• Other forms of peace initiatives should be encouraged and among communities, so that the existing stability and peaceful co-existence is consolidated.