Research Reports

Research Reports

In 2015 Isis-WICCE partnered with Tilburg University, Mbarara University and Makerere University to conduct research with the aim of identifying the impact of social protection schemes, such as cash transfers on economic resilience in order to influence policy. The research is focused on populations with high levels of income fragility and trauma, seeking to understand the impact of trauma on their use of cash transfers. Women are a specific focus of this study due to their particular economic and mental health vulnerabilities. This study targeted districts affected by the 20-year war between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Ugandan government in Northern Uganda including Kitgum, Lira, Soroti and Katakwi.

Fact-sheetDownload
REPORT Download

The year 2014 marked 20 years of Isis-WICCE move from Geneva to Uganda and 40 years globally. We are very proud of our achievements over the years and we have geared up for the emerging challenges and realities in the world today.

Over the past twenty years, Isis-WICCE has emerged as a leader in the feminist discourse on peace and security. We have a wealth of data and knowledge collected over the long years of research and advocacy in Africa and Asia. We have managed to influence the mainstream discussion and understanding of conflict by ensuring that States and other stakeholders in peace and security understand human security beyond geographical dimensions of territorial integrity but rather the personal balance of body, mind and spirit, a perspective that has been ignored by mainstream actors. Since its birth, Isis-WICCE has grown rapidly and innovatively but for this growth to be maintained, and for us to optimize on the current opportunities and build on our achievements, there is need for more focus, optimization and scaling up our approaches to work. In order to maintain our feminist competitive edge and to keep striving for excellence, we need to continue renewing ourselves by stopping, reflecting and planning.

Isis-WICCE Annual Report 2014Download

This report presents the voices and
perspective of women refugees in two refugee centers of Bubukwanga
Refugee Reception Center and Kyangwali Resettlement Center in western
Uganda. The report draws attention to three types of women’s
experiences; the attack that caused people to flee their homes in Kamago
in Eastern DRC, the escape from the situation.

Forced to FleeDownload

The report interrogates whether
women in politics have made a difference or not and why? It acknowledges the
value and contribution of women’s physical presence in political leadership
especially their focus on gender sensitive policy and legislation. It questions
efforts on ‘engendering’ democracy through numerical inclusion of women into
existing democratic structures and formal political institutions without
addressing the structural complexities that inhibit the performance of women.

Making-a-Difference beyond numbersDownload

The
research documents and analyses how war crimes have continued to affect the
lives of female victims, their families and communities. It also provides an
understanding of reparations based on the experiences and perspectives of
women, girls their families and communities who suffered the serious crimes
during the armed conflict between the GoU and the LRA in the Greater North of
Uganda. The report in grounded on empirical data from in-depth interviews with
over 640 victims of serious crimes and their families from the sub-regions of
Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile in the Greater North of Uganda.

Making Gender-Just Remedy and Reparation PossibleDownload

The report discusses the progress made by each
country under the three priority areas of SGBV prevention, punishment and
protection as well as support and compensation for survivors. It also reflects
country specific challenges and recommendations. The key finding is that
majority of the governments in the ICGLR have made great strides to fulfill the
commitments to prevent SGBV, punish perpetrators and support survivors.
However, rehabilitation of SGBV perpetrators has not been prioritize neither is
it included in the framework and national level implementation

The-implementation-of-the-Kampala-DeclarationDownload

Isis-WICCE in partnership with
Jamme/Kashmir Association carried out a study on the ‘impact of armed conflict
on the Health of half widows in Kashmir- India’. The study explored the mental,
social and physical impact of violence on the health of the half widows,
mothers and sisters whose husbands and male relatives had gone missing due to
the conflict. Forty-five women were randomly selected from the three districts
of Srinagar, Baramulla and Kupwara of Kashmir valley, comprising of half widows
(whose husbands are missing in custody), mothers of disappeared persons (whose
sons are missing in custody), sisters (whose brothers are missing in custody)
and daughters of the missing persons. Key findings show that half widows have
become targets of sexual violence from those viewing them as defenseless.

KASHMIRI WOMEN THE BURDEN OF CONFLICT,HALF WIDOWHOOD AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH EFFECTSDownload

This report provides an analysis of
the extent to which post conflict reconstruction efforts in Burundi, Liberia
and Sierra Leone have implemented national commitments for women’s participation
in conflict management, post conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation
processes, as provided for in UNSCR 1325. Based on semi-structured interviews
and focus group discussions with women’s activists, the research considered
diverse expressions of femininity that speak to notions of “peace” in terms of
local women’s groups contribution to bringing peace in all 3 countries, their
experiences and knowledge were not taken into account in the post conflict
phase neither were they considered key actors that could contribute effectively
to post conflict reconstruction.

Pushed to the Periphery – FrenchDownload
Pushed to the Periphery EnglishDownload

The
research documents and analyses how war crimes have continued to affect the
lives of female victims, their families and communities. It also provides an
understanding of reparations based on the experiences and perspectives of
women, girls their families and communities who suffered the serious crimes
during the armed conflict between the GoU and the LRA in the Greater North of
Uganda. The report in grounded on empirical data from in-depth interviews with
over 640 victims of serious crimes and their families from the sub-regions of
Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile in the Greater North of Uganda.

Child marriage has continued to be
one of the major factors affecting the achievement of development indices and
targets in Uganda. This report presents the findings of the study on “Child
Marriage and its impact on Development” which was carried out in Kasese
district (Western Uganda) in two counties; Busongora North.

The study provides the needed
information on the problem of child marriage and its socio economic impact on
the society. It directly shows that young children should instead be nurtured
for development programmes and progress of society.  Involving the child mothers and fathers at
every stage of development calls for looking at the issue of child marriage
with holistic lenses; especially ensuring that victims and survivors get self esteem,
and are provided with means to enhance their well being. It is therefore a loud
reminder to policy makers, parents, cultural leaders, religious leaders and the
whole community to be part of the great strides Isis-WICCE is taking to end
child marriage and restore self worth in the affected that have lost hope in
the future. An abused generation cannot contribute to future progress.

Child Marriage and Its Impact on Development Kasese-reportDownload

The report examines the extent to
which survivors of rape and sexual violence access justice in Nepal as well as
the response mechanisms that are in place to address the concerns of rape
survivors. The study covered the 10 districts of Morang, Dhanushs, Kailali,
Udayapur, Kavrepalanchowk, Kathmandu, Baglung, Dailekh, Dolakha and Darchula.

The findings show that the
reporting and documentation of rape cases is still very marginal. An average of
443 cases in a year reflects a high prevalence ofrape if systems were conducive
for survivors to report. The analysis further indicates that rape is deeply
entrenched national problem that transcends class, caste, ethnicity, age,
economic, educational, geographical and religious status.

UNVEILING JUSTICE-RAPE SURVIVORS SPEAK OUTDownload

Situations of conflict
perpetuate sexual and gender based violence as women are forced and coerced
into relationships and raped, which consistently abuses their dignity and
exposed them to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDS. In this
book, Isis-WICCE publishes a collection of post conflict communities in
Liberia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. These stories of resilience and hope show that it
is possible for women living with HIV&AIDS in post conflict communities to
make a difference in their lives and their immediate communities when they are
given the means for empowerment.

Restoring HopeDownload

Isis-WICCE, using its action-oriented approach noted the urgent need for the development of a standardized locally adapted training manual for use to train operational level health workers working in areas affected by armed conflict. This manual builds on the experiences of medical interventional work carried out by Isis-WICCE to bridge health gaps in post conflict communities. The prototype of this manual was pre-tested among health workers based in Kitgum district and among psychiatric clinical officers drawn from various war affected districts of Uganda, with their comments and suggestions considered in its revision.

management of medical and psychological effects of war traumaDownload

This report presents the process leading up to and the analysis of the major findings of the short-term medical intervention that was undertaken by Isis-WICCE in the two counties of Maryland and Grand Kru in Liberia where a total of 1158 women and men war survivors were screened and received treatment. The key health conditions that were presented during the exercise included Vesico Vaginal Fistulae, genital prolapse, enlarged and elongated breasts, urinary tract infections, hernias, hydroceles, epilepsy and mental health disorders. The medical intervention was prompted by the findings from the Isis-WICCE report, ‘A situational analysis of the women survivors of the 1989-2003 conflict in Liberia,’ where the four counties of Lofa, Bong, Maryland and Grand Kru were studied.

Touching the UnreachedDownload

The report highlights experiences
and challenges women and men encountered during the armed conflict in Liberia
in the counties of Maryland, Bong, Lofa and Grand Kru. It also highlights the
conduct of the warring groups during the conflict.

The 1993-2003 armed conflict in
Liberia and the sexual and Gender based violence that emanated had devastating
effects not only on individuals but also communities. The war destroyed social
service provision and delivery, social networks and kinship systems. The report
also reveals that torture and violence were not only committed by armed groups
especially on women and girls but were also systematically used by police and
prison officers, who were expected to be “custodians of peace.” It also
presents the conduct of the warring groups as experienced by survivors; clearly
detailing high levels of sexual violence.

A SITUATION ANALYSIS OF THE WOMEN SURVIVORS IN ARMED CONFLICT- LIBERIA-Download

The study documented the
experiences of South Sudanese women in the two decades-long armed conflict from
1983-2005. The study covered Juba town in Central Equatorial state. The study
shows the devastating impact of conflict on the political, socio-economic and
cultural dynamics of South Sudanese women. They were subjected to the most
humiliating, brutal and traumatizing experiences. Apart from gang rape, often
in the presence of their children, and spouses, women’s vaginas were mutilated
with bayonets while young girls would have their external genitalia especially
the clitoris cutout. Experiences of such gruesome torture and humiliation often
resulted into mental breakdown and physical health problems.

The study reveals that the
prolonged civil armed conflict greatly impacted on the population with acute
poverty, poor health, persistent insecurity of persons and property,
displacement and congestion in the internally displaced people’s camps.

Women’s Experiences During Armed Conflict in South Sudan; 1983-2005Download

The report assesses the impact of the war on women of Gulu District, Northern Uganda focusing on their war experiences, the effects of war on their health and economic status, the position of their rights, their coping mechanisms with the war and contributions to their society in distress. The study was carried out within the population originating from 13 sub counties of Gulu District but living in internally displaced people’s camps within an 18km radius of Gulu Municipality.

The key findings reveal that the population was exposed to traumatic experiences such as captivity, abductions, torture, killings, sexual abuse/violence, intimidation, walking long distances without food or water or walking barefooted in thorns and bushes and extreme humiliation to the women. The report also highlights the major health problems faced by the survivors which include reproductive health complications such as STIs including HIV&AIDS, broken and severed limbs and a host of other ailments. Psychosocial consequences were the most numerous.

Women’s Experiences of Armed Conflict in Uganda; 1986-1999Download

Gulu District in Northern Uganda has been at the center of the Northern Uganda armed conflict that lasted more than 18yrs and saw more than 35,000 children abducted, 2 million people displaced into IDP camps and thousands killed. In July 2001 when the war was still ongoing, Isis-WICCE working with the medical professional team in Uganda undertook a short-term medical intervention in Awer internally displaced people’s camp. The study revealed that the population had suffered significant war traumatization including psychological, physical and sexual torture.

Gulu medical reportDownload