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Saint Norbert College

Publication Date

Fall 2014

Program Name

Uganda: Post-Conflict Transformation

Abstract

This study aims to determine the motivating factors that women in Gulu District, Uganda have for joining empowerment programs, how their perception about their own empowerment has changed over time, and the role one non-­‐ governmental organization (NGO) has played in assisting in these women’s empowerment. Data was gathered through 12 personal, semi-­‐structured interviews with the assistance of a translator when necessary. Ten of the subjects currently participate in empowerment programs through Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-­‐G), a local NGO. The two remaining subjects are staff members at GWED-­‐G and served as key informants to this study. The research indicates that women have joined these groups to make social connections and to gain the knowledge provided by the programming. Their self-­‐perceptions have largely changed in a positive way, however, gender based violence (GBV) still plays a role in many of the respondents’ lives. In conclusion, the data affirms the notion that rights-­‐based approaches to development and empowerment are the most holistic and most effective in the endeavor for social and economic development for women.

Disciplines

Family, Life Course, and Society | Gender and Sexuality | Inequality and Stratification | Politics and Social Change | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Women's Studies

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