After fleeing civil war in South Sudan, young refugees at Alere Refugee Settlement Camp in Pachara Sub-county, Adjumani District, are again caught in a cycle of violence, this time within their own homes.
Most of the 7,000 individuals are young men and women who have never known peace. Many witnessed horrific violence before escaping their homeland, and with limited psychosocial support in the camp, some have become perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV) against their partners.
A group of determined youth is leading efforts to change this narrative. One of them is Mr Mawut Thon Mawut, 23, a father of one. As a ‘role model boy’ trained under the SAY Programme implemented by CARE and CHAFORD, Mr Mawut is working to curb domestic violence in the settlement. ‘I serve my community as one of the role model boys in Alere Refugee Settlement. We identified 10 peers from different blocks and trained them using the manual provided by CARE and CHAFORD,’ he explains.
Impact
After training in topics such as body changes, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health rights, Mr Mawut and his peers began sensitising the community. ‘People used to fight every day and night, but now we’ve seen a big reduction in violence,’ he says.
According to Mr Mawut, cases of domestic violence have dropped from 80 percent to 30 percent in the past year and a half. He attributes much of the violence to harmful cultural norms. ‘In our culture, boys are not supposed to do domestic chores. But since this programme started, at least half of the people understand that this mindset must change,’ he adds, thanking Denmark and UNFPA for their support.
Mr Mawut admits he once abused his partner but says the training changed him. Ms Kabeng (not real name), a mother of three and a peer educator, also credits the programme for transforming her marriage.
‘I married my husband when I was 18, and he used to beat me a lot. One time, I was heavily pregnant, and he asked me to fetch water for him. When I refused, he beat me up,’ she says. But after participating in the peer education sessions, Ms Kabeng’s husband changed.
‘Our men had learned bad culture, but things are now improving. Women were really suffering. I appreciate the Danish government and UNFPA for this initiative,’ she says.
Ms Kabeng, however, believes more needs to be done to tackle child marriages. ‘Young girls are still being traded for cattle. Some fathers demand up to 50 cows before marrying off their daughters to older men. This must stop,’ she says.
Changing attitudes
Mr William Draga Droma, another role model, has dedicated himself to sensitising fellow men about peaceful marriages and the dangers of child marriage.
‘I move from block to block telling men why peace at home is important. I’ve seen positive changes-men are starting to love and respect their wives,’ he says.
While progress has been made, Mr Droma admits cultural change is slow.
‘We still have a long way to go. Changing traditions that approve of wife beating takes time,’ he notes.
Alere Refugee Settlement is one of 22 camps hosting more than 250,000 South Sudanese refugees in Adjumani District, outnumbering the local population.
Ms Pauline Idia, the principal nursing officer at Adjumani General Hospital, says the SAY Programme has empowered both refugees and host communities. ‘Through peer-to-peer learning, young men and women have become role models,’ she explains.
‘We’ve not only seen a reduction in domestic violence but also in teenage pregnancies-from 15 percent to 13 percent,’ she adds. However, Ms Idia warns that child marriage remains rampant. ‘Girls as young as 14 are being married off because their culture allows it, though it’s illegal in Uganda,’ she says. Mr Ben Anyama, the Adjumani District chairperson, says reduced donor funding has affected their efforts to fight GBV.
‘You find older men going after young girls. The problem is mindset; we must change harmful cultural practices. Among South Sudanese, girls as young as 14 can be married, which is against Ugandan law,’ he explains. Mr Charles Adama, the deputy camp commandant at Alere, agrees the SAY Programme has brought peace to the settlement. ‘This project benefited nearly 80 percent of refugees here. Families are coexisting more peacefully. But we still face high school dropout rates, children are leaving school, and we need more support,’ Mr Adama says.
Ms Signe Winding Albjerg, the Danish Ambassador to Uganda, reaffirmed her government’s commitment to supporting projects that address teenage pregnancies, reproductive health, and gender equality. ‘Under our new programme, Women Uganda 2025+, we will involve male role models in the fight for women’s rights,’ she said.
‘For a long time, women have led this fight alone, but now we are engaging men who demonstrate positive masculinity,’ she added.
Ms Kristin Blocknus, the UNFPA Representative to Uganda, echoed this commitment. ‘We will continue to provide young people with the information and services they need to live dignified and fulfilling lives,’ she said.