A New Window of Normalisation: Young People as Peace Builders in Northern Uganda

For the past two decades northern Uganda was engulfed in a web of violent armed conflict between LRA and the government of Uganda in which many people especially the young faced a multitude of problems. The region is now in post conflict and recovery period, therefore the participation in peacebuilding by young people as key actors in post conflict north is crucial. This paper analyses the ways in which young people participate in peacebuilding and explains Acholi cultural perspective on peacebuilding. To achieve this I held focus group discussions with different categories of young people that included FAP’s, primary school pupils and those who were not abducted; the views of some Acholi elders was sought in understanding cultural perspectives on peacebuilding. Young people actively participate in various peacebuilding activities, either through their own agency or through the existing structures set by other peace actors such as the government, international and local NGO’s and cultural institutions. However, young people face challenges in participation in peacebuilding due to, generational rift as a result of the changing Acholi culture due to emergence of youth culture, inadequate support from development actors and the challenge of return and resettlement into their original homesteads.