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Browsing Social Sciences by Subject "Abduction"

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    Formerly Abducted Child Mothers in Northern Uganda: A Critique of Modern Structures for Child Protection and Reintegration
    (Journal of Community Practice, 2012) Awich Ochen, Eric; Adele D., Jones; Mcauley, James W.
    The study documents and analyzes the community structures supporting reintegration of the formerly abducted child mothers (FACM) within post-conflict northern Uganda. A qualitative approach assesses the relevance and effectiveness of child protection structures created by different development agencies to enhance the reintegration of FACM and protect vulnerable children more broadly. Findings suggest that the efficacy of the community-based structures to support the reintegration efforts have been hampered by the creation of competing structures by the different non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and major development organizations such as UNICEF. The limited community ownership of these structures and the inadequate psychosocial training of child protection workers are problematic in meeting the needs of formerly abducted child mothers. Other constraining factors are the limited government role in supporting these child protection structures, the challenge of adapting the structures to the new post-active conflict development context, and limited outreach to FACM. These factors limit the prospects for supporting formerly abducted children and sustaining structures within the community once agencies and donor support is withdrawn. The key lesson for social work practice and social development in Africa is that effective interventions at supporting the reintegration of children affected by armed conflict need to consider the importance of indigenous institutions and structures within the implementation areas.
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    ICD-11 Trauma Questionnaires for PTSD and Complex PTSD: Validation among Civilians and Former Abducted Children in Northern Uganda
    (Journal of Psychiatry, 2015) Dokkedah, Sarah; Oboke, Henry; Ovuga, Emilio; Elklit, Ask
    ICD-11 is expected to introduce a new diagnosis of C-PTSD, along with a revision of the current PTSD diagnosis. Are the suggested diagnostic tools for PTSD and C-PTSD valid in a developing country? Method: The tools have been tested on former abducted and regular civilians in northern Uganda (n=314), who have been influenced by the civil war that lasted for more than two decades. Results: The prevalence of either PTSD or C-PTSD was 36.6% and PTSD and C-PTSD was further found to correlate with symptoms of depression, anxiety and somatic complaints. Conclusion: Based on its findings the study concludes that the ICD-11 tools for PTSD and C-PTSD both appear to be valid as suggested by both discriminant and convergent validation of the tools. However, future research can benefit from studying cultural aspects of these diagnoses.
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    Neglect Children and young mothers’ agency in the context of conflict: A review of the experiences of formerly abducted young people in Northern Uganda
    (Child Abuse & Neglect, 2015) Awich Ochen, Eric
    This paper critically examines the experiences of formerly abducted young women during their captivity with the Lord Resistance Army rebels and in the resettlement and reinte-gration period. Special attention is given to their exercise of agency and choices. Using a qualitative design, narrative interviews were conducted with child mothers (N = 21), local and civic actors (N = 17), and the general community through focus groups (N = 10). Data transcripts were analyzed using template analysis methods to derive meanings and increase understanding of the situation. Abducted children faced significant difficulties during their captivity and also during their resettlement and reintegration process, yet they continued to exhibit strong agency to cope with the new realities. Despite these difficulties, opportunities existed which were utilized by the young people, albeit to different degrees depending on each young person’s ability and initiative (agency). Situational factors limiting the child mothers’ agency were identified as embedded within the latter’s environment. This study raises the importance of appreciation of the young women’s agency in both the bush-captivity experience and resettlement and reintegration processes within the community,post-conflict.