Arguably, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented new opportunities for digital transformation within the justice sectors in African countries and beyond. The LEWUTI project (Legal Empowerment of Women... Show moreArguably, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented new opportunities for digital transformation within the justice sectors in African countries and beyond. The LEWUTI project (Legal Empowerment of Women Using Technology and Innovation) predates the pandemic, and is run by BarefootLaw, a Ugandan socio-legal NGO. As the 2020 UNDP report highlights, during the pandemic many courts were adapted to digital technologies. Online justice was supposed to respond more rapidly to challenges in this unprecedented situation, creating new opportunities to reach more beneficiaries and scale up justice processes. However, it is not clear that women benefit equally from the digitisation of justice systems. The pandemic highlighted some of the risks of relying on digital means to achieve women’s legal empowerment, especially for rural women. Against this background, this study examines the opportunities and challenges entailed in the digital transformation of access to justice as a means of legal empowerment for rural women in Northern Uganda. Data for the study was collected in the rural Gulu area, through focus groups discussions with selected women. The data was then analysed through the lens of Legal Empowerment (LE) and Access to Justice frameworks, to make sense of the information generated. The findings suggest that digital technology can play a significant role in addressing the unmet legal needs of rural women in Uganda. Many women have reported being able to use digital interfaces to access legal help, evaluate their problems, and decide whether the problems have legal solutions. These technologies have also helped women to prepare evidence and to make sense of laws and legal documentation. Obstacles remain, however. These include a lack of legal knowledge and awareness, poverty, a lack of access to mobile phones, illiteracy, a lack of telecommunication infrastructure, power inequalities, and the attitudes of some lawyers. These factors continue to hinder some rural women’s use of digital technology to access justice. Some women also emphasised that introducing digital technologies to secure women’s legal empowerment may be putting the cart before the horse, so long as the corruption of Uganda’s legal and court system remains pervasive. Show less
War ravaged northern Uganda for over two decades after its start in 1986. During this time, over 80 per cent of the Acholi population living there was internally displaced. This occurrence has... Show moreWar ravaged northern Uganda for over two decades after its start in 1986. During this time, over 80 per cent of the Acholi population living there was internally displaced. This occurrence has disrupted social life in more ways than often acknowledged in policymaking and discourse surrounding displacement. This book draws focus on the personal experiences of people who moved to Pabo – the former site of one of the displacement camps – during the war, and who have not left this place since. Using data from life histories collected in Pabo during seven months of fieldwork, it explores motivations for non-return and shows that displacement is more than a forced move from one geographical location to another; it involves economic, social, and cosmological considerations and touches upon identity and belonging. This book also explores the long-term effects of displacement on life by zooming in on social relations within the household. Using the concept of anomie, it is argued that, in this particular post-conflict context, social guidance on desirablegoals and accepted behaviour is diminished and there is a discrepancy between goals that are still valued and the means available to achieve them. Building upon the life histories, the argument is constructed that the situation of anomie has contributed to intergenerational friction and to families breaking up. The goal of this book is to lay bare the interface between structure and agency, and to counter the trend of turning internally displaced people as well as refugees into abbreviations and subjects without a voice.Dutch summary: Meer dan twee decennia lang is het noorden van Oeganda geteisterd door de oorlog die daar in 1986 begon. In deze periode raakte meer dan 80 procent van de Acholi-bevolking in deze regio ontheemd. Ondanks dat dit niet altijd erkend wordt in het beleid en de discussies omtrent ontheemding, laat dit werk zien dat deze gebeurtenis het sociale leven in vele opzichten heeft ontwricht. Dit boek vraagt aandacht voor de persoonlijke ervaringen van mensen die naar Pabo – de locatie van één van de vele voormalige vluchtelingenkampen – zijn getrokken tijdens de oorlog en die hier niet meer weg zijn gegaan. Door middel van tijdens veldwerk verzamelde levensverhalen worden motivaties om niet terug te keren blootgelegd. Dit laat zien dat ontheemding meer is dan een gedwongen geografische verplaatsing; ontheemding betreft economische, sociale en kosmologische overwegingen en raakt aan identiteit en een gevoel van verbondenheid. Hiernaast onderzoekt dit boek de langetermijn effecten van ontheemding door in te zoomen op de sociale relaties binnen huishoudens. Door het concept ‘anomie’ te gebruiken, wordt beargumenteerd dat er, in deze specifieke context, een verzwakt sociaal kader is wat betreft levensdoelen die nagestreefd zouden moeten worden en wat acceptabel gedrag is om deze doelen te verwezenlijken. Bovendien laat het zien dat er een gat is ontstaan tussen doelen die worden gezien als belangrijk en de middelen die beschikbaar zijn om deze doelen te behalen. De levensverhalen tonen aan dat deze situatie van anomie heeft geleid tot intergenerationele wrijving en tot het uiteenvallen van families. Dit boek legt het spanningsveld tussen structuur en zelfbeschikking bloot, en gaat in tegen de trend die vluchtelingen maakt tot nummers of mensen zonder stem. Show less
Western donor countries consider a proper functioning multiparty democracy as one of the most import conditions for achieving more legitimate governance and subsequently economic development and... Show moreWestern donor countries consider a proper functioning multiparty democracy as one of the most import conditions for achieving more legitimate governance and subsequently economic development and reduction of poverty in their partner countries. Support to free and fair elections is an integral part of the ‘good governance’ agenda of the traditional donor community. On the basis of the findings of this study, it appears however that it is not so much the acceptance of Western type political institutions or compliance with generally endorsed liberal-democratic standards that determine the possibilities for developing countries to achieve economic transformation and substantial poverty reduction, but rather the nature of the political settlement among the political elites. Show less
This volume attempts to dig deeper into what is currently happening in Africa's agricultural and rural sector and to convince policymakers and others that it is important to look at the current... Show moreThis volume attempts to dig deeper into what is currently happening in Africa's agricultural and rural sector and to convince policymakers and others that it is important to look at the current African rural dynamics in ways that connect metropolitan demands for food with value chain improvements and agro-food cluster innovations. It is essential to go beyond a 'development bureaucracy' and a state-based approach to rural transformation, such as the one that often dominates policy debate in African government circles, organizations like the African Union and the UN, and donor agencies. Show less
Het Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), een van origine Oegandees rebellenleger, kan op de nodige belangstelling rekenen, getuige de vele publicaties van academici en hulporganisaties. Een internetvideo... Show moreHet Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), een van origine Oegandees rebellenleger, kan op de nodige belangstelling rekenen, getuige de vele publicaties van academici en hulporganisaties. Een internetvideo over Joseph Kony, de leider van het LRA, genereerde in 2012 zelfs wereldwijd media-aandacht, waardoor het LRA-conflict voor korte tijd voorpaginanieuws was. Er is echter maar weinig bekend over de mensen die tegen het LRA hebben gevochten. Wie waren zij en waarom namen zij de wapens op tegen de beruchte guerrillastrijders van Kony? In dit boek reconstrueert Klaas Castelein met niet eerder gebruikt bronnenmateriaal het verhaal van de Arrow Boys, een militie uit de Oost-Oegandese provincie Teso. Van 2003 tot en met 2005 slaagden de Arrow Boys erin om Kony's LRA-strijders uit Teso te verjagen, maar hun succesvolle optreden is sterk onderbelicht in de literatuur en debatten over het LRA-conflict. Wie waren betrokken bij de mobilisatie van de Arrow Boys en op welke manier en met welke middelen wisten zij een militieleger op de been te brengen? Waarom verliep de strijd tegen het LRA in Teso voortvarender dan in Noord-Oeganda? Hoe kon er een relatief vruchtbare samenwerking ontstaan tussen de Oegandese regering en de bevolking van Teso, terwijl deze van oudsher een problematische verhouding onderhielden? De antwoorden op bovengenoemde vragen zullen ons begrip van hedendaagse conflicten vergroten. Show less
This book is based on an ethnographic study during an ongoing civil war in northern Uganda. It examines children's suffering as well as their attempts to restore normality. Data shows that there is... Show moreThis book is based on an ethnographic study during an ongoing civil war in northern Uganda. It examines children's suffering as well as their attempts to restore normality. Data shows that there is a high burden of illnesses among the children, both infectious diseases and complaints related to emotional distress. The study describes children's short-term curative approaches to these illnesses, and the ensuing misuse of, and dependencies on, pharmaceuticals. Although children are approached as social actors and their perspectives are privileged, their quests for therapy are shown to be influenced by many other factors as well. The focus therefore lies on children's vulnerability within existing healthcare structures and life conditions. Through this focus, the book critiques the narrow policies regarding healthcare interventions for children above five years, and underscores the importance of addressing wider socio-economic factors in preventive approaches to infectious diseases and emotional suffering.Grace Akello, PhD, is a medical anthropologist trained at the Universities of Amsterdam and Leiden. She is currently employed as senior lecturer at Gulu University, northern Uganda. Show less
The studies in this volume are the result of research carried out by students of the Research Masters in African Studies (RMAS) at Leiden University who graduated in 2008. The studies cover such... Show moreThe studies in this volume are the result of research carried out by students of the Research Masters in African Studies (RMAS) at Leiden University who graduated in 2008. The studies cover such areas as conflict, democracy, migration, urban and rural studies, language, communication and youth. An introduction by Mirjam de Bruijn, RMAS director, and Daniela Merolla, RMAS academic coordinator from 2006-2009, is followed by eight contributions: Facilitating return: notions of conflict and peace in ending internal displacement in northern Uganda (Hilde Kroes); Political parties and intra-party democracy in East Afria: considerations for democratic consolidation (Josh Maiyo); How the youth of Soweto have turned language into a transformable object in the context of a changing society (Pierre Aycard); How linguistic features and social arrangements can interrelate: the position of Swahili and its speakers in Bujumbura [Burundi] (Lianne Belt); Peer groups and human anchorage: girl-migrants making it work in N'Djamena, Chad (Jonna Both); Recycling gifts: ritual and money in present-day 'tonw' in Bancoumana [Mali] (Esther Khn); Negotiating insecurity through mobile telephony in Buea, Cameroon (Barbara Tah Gwanmesia); Challenges for ethnographic research in fragile situations: research among youth in post-war Burundi (Lidewyde H. Berckmoes). [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
Peace education has recemtly become very fashionable but little is known about he outcome and impact of both formal and informal peace-education programmes. This book is an attempt to fill the gap... Show morePeace education has recemtly become very fashionable but little is known about he outcome and impact of both formal and informal peace-education programmes. This book is an attempt to fill the gap between well-meant intentions and reality by exploring the impact of an informal workshop-style peace-education programme in Uganda. From the perspective of the 'alternatives to violence' programme, the author takes the reader on a journey through the theoretical underpinnings and intentions of peace education, unfolds some of the underlying intricacies, challenges and side efforts, and illustrates these with concrete examples. - Anika May has an MA in International Development Studies from ISHSS/UvA and has worked for development agencies in Indonesia, Venezuela, Germany and Brussels. One of her fields of interest is peace and conflict issues and she conducted her thesis research in Uganda where she explored participants' perceptions of a countrywide peace education programme and did consultancy work for the German Development Service (DED). Since the beginning of 2008, she has been working in international cooperation for Context, a development consultancy based in Utrecht, where her work focuses on civic driven change. She is also teaching an undergraduate course at ISHSS/UvA. Show less
When discussing development issues in Africa, it is not sufficient to simply stress the ubiquity of failure, malnutrition, disease, predatory states and war, one also has to recognize that... Show moreWhen discussing development issues in Africa, it is not sufficient to simply stress the ubiquity of failure, malnutrition, disease, predatory states and war, one also has to recognize that important aspects in the lives of millions of ordinary people have been transformed over the last five decades. The contributions in this book are rooted in extensive empirical research, some at a local, regional and/or national level in different African countries (Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Uganda), while others take a pan-African view. All, however, offer insight from different analytical perspectives into the heterogeneity of poverty and development processes in Sub-Saharan African and confront the ideas, concepts and assumptions that lie behind pro-poor policies. The volume also encourages policy makers to choose realistic policy prescriptions in an attempt to move people out of poverty. Show less
This study examines in what ways and to what extent microfinance services facilitate the empowerment of married rural women in Nebbi district, northwestern Uganda. In particular, it examines the... Show moreThis study examines in what ways and to what extent microfinance services facilitate the empowerment of married rural women in Nebbi district, northwestern Uganda. In particular, it examines the gender relations inherent in the livelihood practices of the community, the changes in well-being (if any) of the recipients of microfinance, and the ways in which changes in well-being are translated into changes in gender relations at the household and community levels. Using the sustainable livelihood approach, empowerment was measured at two levels, viz. the livelihood endowment status, and the livelihood entitlement status. The analysis reveals that microfinance did not make any significant change in the well-being status of clients. However, microfinance significantly facilitated women's empowerment at the individual, intrahousehold, and community levels. In this way, women's agency has sparked their struggle to engender livelihood practices. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
Nutrition education is widely accepted as an important means of improving the health of young children in developing countries. Based on research carried out in Uganda in 1971-1972, this book... Show moreNutrition education is widely accepted as an important means of improving the health of young children in developing countries. Based on research carried out in Uganda in 1971-1972, this book shows how studies of changes in knowledge and attitudes can provide unique insights into both the educational process and its success or failure. It also demonstrates that the social circumstances of the individual families play an important part in determining the effects of the teaching. It contributes to the information needed for planning nutrition programmes so as better to meet the actual needs of individual families of groups Show less
This study is concerned with the relation between protein-energy malnutrition and the intellectual abilities of children in Uganda. The findings are based on the investigation of a group of 60... Show moreThis study is concerned with the relation between protein-energy malnutrition and the intellectual abilities of children in Uganda. The findings are based on the investigation of a group of 60 Ugandan boys and girls who became severely malnourished during the first 27 months of their life, resulting in their admission to the hospital in Kampala. At the time of the study, in 1970-1971, the children were between 11 and 17 years old. The relation between malnutrition and intellectual abilities is explored in two ways: by comparison with a matched group of children who were not severely malnourished during the first years of their life; and by relating the present intellectual abilities of each child to its condition on admission to the hospital. The findings are discussed against the evidence from other psychological studies Show less
