On Thursday, 2 June, the Human Rights House Foundation and the Norwegian Joint Council for Africa co-host a seminar at the Norwegian Human Rights House in Oslo, on women, war and peace in Northern Uganda. Jessica B. Nkuuhe, the Deputy Director of Isis-WICCE, one of the organisations participating in the Human Rights House project in Uganda, will speak, alongside many others. (30-MAY-05)
  

This is the programme of the seminar:

Women, war and peace: The case of Northern Uganda
 
Venue: Human Rights House, Tordenskioldsgt. 6b
Time: Thursday June 2nd 10:00-13:30.

Violations against women and women’s participation are often neglected both in wars and in peace processes. Peace agreements seldom include women specific issues. The most recent example is Sudan, where both national and international women’s movements have criticised the peace process and the peace agreement.
 
Norwegian authorities support the current peace initiative in Uganda. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states the UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security as central for its peace and security policies. This includes women’s participation at all phases and levels of the peace process and peace agreements.

What are the specific women’s experiences and responses to the war in Northern Uganda? Will the peace talks between the Ugandan Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army include civil society in general and women in particular?

10.00 Opening by chair

10.10 – 10.40 The war in Northern Uganda: another prison system
This intervention will give a brief overview of the background for the conflict, and how it has developed. Thereafter the current situation will be discussed with a particular focus on the humanitarian implications of camp life; here particular emphasis will be placed on the so-called security zone?s established around the camps and the issue of land. Finally, a few suggestions for the way forward will be made.
• Morten Bøås, Researcher, Regional Coordinator for Africa at FAFO (Institute for Labour and Social Research)

10.45 – 11.00 Documentary: A Lingering Pain
A lingering pain is a gripping account of Uganda?s women survivors of armed conflict who, despite the abductions, rape and torture at the hands of the warring parties unite against the evils that degrade their humanity. Concrete actions that can be undertaken by various actors are suggested. (Only sections will be presented).
• Documentary. Produced by Isis-WICCE

11.00 – 11.30 The war in Northern Uganda: Where are the women?
The presentation will discuss the effects the war has had on women; many negative ones, but some positive, in the sense that the war has empowered women to perform tasks they had previously not performed, and the resulting challenges. Women?s contribution towards the peace process will also be discussed. Ms. Nkuuhe will also touch on emerging issues such as the “night commuter” children and the formerly abducted children, and the challenges these are posing to the women and the communities as a whole. To end a few suggestions on the way forward will be given. 
• Jessica Nkuuhe Associate Director/ Exchange Programme Coordinator from Isis-Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange Programme (Isis-WICCE)
 
11.30 – 12.00 LUNCH

12.00 – 13.30 PANEL: The peace initiative – status and challenges
• Jens Petter Kjemperud Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Status of the Uganda peace initiative and Norway’s role in and plans for this. How will one draw on lessons learnt from Sudan? How are they planning to involve civil society and in particular women into the process and into the agreements.

ʉۢ Torunn Tryggestad Acting director of the department of international politics at NUPI (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs)
On UN resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Seeing the Uganda peace process from a gender perspective.

• Jessica Nkuuhe Isis-WICCE
Experiences and responses from the women?s movement(s) in Sudan to the Sudanese peace process and peace agreement: lessons learnt and challenges to the Uganda peace process.

• Morten Bøås, FAFO
Respons.

A light lunch will be provided, please send us an email to confirm your participation: afrika@afrika.no . For more information, contact Camilla Houeland 22 98 93 12.

The seminar is funded by FOKUS www.fokuskvinner.no