Socioeconomic Reintegration and the Stigmatization of Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Analysis of Post-Conflict Northern Uganda

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 9, No. 9, September 2018 | pp. 946–954

DOI: 10.46882/2018/GJPCS/090901

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Socioeconomic Reintegration and the Stigmatization of Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Analysis of Post-Conflict Northern Uganda

Authors: Florence A. Akello¹, Julian P. Vance²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Mental Health, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda; ²Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

Abstract:
This study presents a longitudinal tracking analysis examining the long-term socioeconomic reintegration outcomes of 280 formally abducted child soldiers who returned to civilian communities in northern Uganda. Spanning a five-year monitoring window up to late 2017, we assess the structural impacts of persistent social stigmatization on psychological healing and livelihood stability. Utilizing standardized clinical mental health surveys alongside community focus groups, we evaluate the comparative efficacy of state-led economic cash transfers versus traditional community-led psychosocial support systems. The quantitative findings indicate that former child combatants who settled in rural areas with strong indigenous customary reconciliation mechanisms showed a 44% lower incidence of severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms compared to those who migrated to urban manufacturing centers. Our regression models establish that high community-level social stigma directly correlates with an elevated risk of economic isolation and a 32% higher rate of youth marginalization. The paper concludes that sustainable child soldier reintegration requires shifting state funding from short-term individual financial payouts toward long-term structural investments in communal educational institutions.

Keywords: Child Soldiers; Psychosocial Reintegration; Northern Uganda; Social Stigmatization; Livelihood Security; Mental Health

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 22, 2018; Revised: June 12, 2018; Accepted: June 28, 2018; Published: September 12, 2018

Citation: Akello, F. A., & Vance, J. P. (2018). Socioeconomic Reintegration and the Stigmatization of Child Soldiers: A Longitudinal Analysis of Post-Conflict Northern Uganda. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 9(9), 946–954. DOI: 10.46882/2018/GJPCS/090901

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