Summary Report: Thematic Evaluation of Children’s Participation in Armed Conflict, Post-conflict and Peace-building. A Memorandum of Children’s Participation in Peace Building, Uganda

The Global Thematic Evaluation and Documentation of Children’s Participation in Armed Conflict, Post Conflict and peace building is a process-led evaluation which has been carried out over a two year period (2006-2008) in Uganda, Nepal, Guatemala and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This Summary Report shares information on the process and findings from Uganda. The evaluation took place in Gulu District in the North — a region that has suffered conflict for more than twenty years. The whole process has been based around the active involvement of girls and boys who are members of school based peace clubs and out of school associations.

As part of this process, a 5 day National Reflection Workshop (4-8 September 2007) was organised by Save the Children in Uganda with 24 children and young people’s representatives. After having discussed the many important issues affecting the lives of children and young persons in the camps and war affected areas in Northern Uganda, and recognizing their impact on the safety, normal growth and development of children, the children of peace clubs and associations drew up a Memorandum on Children’s Participation in Peace Building (Appendix 2) identifying five significant issues  to ensure further support for children’s participation in peace building.