Northern
Uganda Peace Initiative
In 2004-2005,
PADCO worked with the Government of Uganda to assess the needs
of a national reconciliation program. NUPI gathers data from the
President and senior officials on government capacity to handle
peace initiatives. Based the data, NUPI has made recommendations
regarding appropriate program design. NUPI also builds capacity
for conflict resolution and public participation in government
decisions at the central and local levels. PADCO relied on this
expertise in eliciting useful information from government
officials, analyzing the information in a culturally relevant
manner and mobilizing government and civic leaders.
The PADCO team
engaged in dialogue with senior officials, assessing the
situation in the North. PADCO designed programs for coordinating
grass-roots and government efforts toward reconciliation. PADCO
also provided training courses in leadership skills, gender
awareness and regulatory dialogue, as well as direct mediation
services at all levels of government and for grassroots
organizations.
Source (PADCO)
Children,
War, and Peace
Optimism about prospects for peace in northern Uganda is
growing. Recent news reports cite increased desertions from
the rebel Lord's Resistance Army and some reduction in the
number of displaced people. Nevertheless, making peace is no
simple task. The population is traumatized by continuing
violence, and HIV/AIDS rates in the conflict areas are almost
double the national average.
A new report from World Vision Uganda highlights the
continuing obstacles to peace and the enormous damage done to
children and to society at large from this 18-year war that has
received very little attention from the international community.
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GYOPEN-UGANDA
