The challenges of re-integrating and rehabilitating formerly abducted girl child mothers in northern Uganda; case study: Kitgum Women Peace Initiative

Abstract

This study report highlights the challenges of re-integrating and rehabilitating formerly abducted girl child mothers in Northern Uganda with an emphasis on Kitgum Women Peace Initiative (KIWEPI). It was based on a case study design and utilised a quantitative and qualitative approach targeting a population of 57 respondents. The findings highlight experiences of formerly abducted girl child mothers including sexual violence, sexual harassment, unwanted pregnancy and children, stigmatisation, inability to access basic needs, including sexual and reproductive health complications. The findings affirm the key role that KIWEPI has played in rebuilding the lives of the girl mothers including provision of life skills training, counselling, provision of basic needs to the girls and their children, sensitisation of the communities, among others. The report further notes that KIWEPI still faces key challenges that includes lack of ample training equipment and human resource, inability to cope with the high levels of trauma amongst the girl mothers, lack of financial resources, etc. It also emphasises the need to have special funding programmes that target community based initiatives and are directly specifically to the needs of the intended beneficiaries.