Early relationships and marriage in conflict and post-conflict settings: vulnerability of youth in Uganda

Abstract

While there is increased attention to child marriage, defined as marriage before 18 years of age, in countries where the practice is especially prevalent, less attention has been directed at understanding the factors affecting relationships, marriage and cohabitation among adolescents affected by conflict and displacement. This article presents factors which contribute to early relationships and informal marriages in conflict and post-conflict settings, based on qualitative research undertaken among two distinct populations in Uganda: internally displaced persons in Mucwini transit camp in northern Uganda and Congolese refugees in the Nakivale refugee settlement in southwestern Uganda. Themes were examined through a social-ecological framework. Findings indicate that fundamental shifts in economies, family relationships, and communication combined with structural changes encountered in settlements resulted in changed relationships and marriage patterns. Participants reported that poverty, splintering of family, and lack of education - which they believed to be exacerbated by conflict in both settings - had profoundly affected the views, perceptions and behaviours of youth around relationships and marriage. We identify interventions applicable to humanitarian settings that would offer refugee and internally displaced adolescents greater and more meaningful opportunities for development.

A Systematic Review of Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Experiences and Access to Services among Refugee, Migrant and Displaced Girls and Young Women in Africa

“…They were conducted in nine African countries which included Uganda, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Djibouti, Rwanda and Sierra Leone [6,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29]. These consisted of eight applied qualitative, five quantitative and two mixed-method study designs.…”

Differential Impacts of an Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Program Based on Child Marriage Status in Rural Côte d'Ivoire

“…Armed conflict in Côte d’Ivoire was widespread throughout the country between the early to mid-2000s and may influence the practice of child marriage. A previous qualitative investigation examining the linkages of child marriage and armed conflict posited that structural factors, such as poverty, inequitable gender norms, or lack of educational or livelihood opportunities, may lead to child marriage [29]. These preexisting factors may be exacerbated by crises and thus perpetuate this early marriage.…”

“…Specifically, given the pervasiveness of child marriage in Côte d’Ivoire, there is an urgent need to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce IPV that are tailored to this large and highly vulnerable population. This is particularly true for conflict-affected environments; thus, future intervention research must also examine how a conflict-affected environment may increase a woman’s susceptibility to IPV and early marriage [29,33]. Finally, as there is growing momentum to implement IPV prevention interventions in low- and middle-income settings [34], including those affected by armed conflict, such interventions will need to be monitored to help ensure that such approaches may not further increase risk for IPV among women married as minors.…”

Preventing risky behaviours among young adolescents in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: A qualitative study

“…Some research with men proposes that alcohol use and sexual conquest may be conceived as part of manhood and thus interventions that aim to reduce sexual assault need to understand local conceptions of masculinity(Jewkes et al, 2006; Ricardo & Barker, 2008). In post-conflict settings, where gender identities may be challenged (Horn, Puffer, Roesch, & Lehmann, 2014) and typical social norms and bonds that regulate behavior and maintain health are altered (Maclin, Kelly, Kabanga, & VanRooyen, 2015; Schlecht, Rowley, & Babirye, 2013), it is important to ensure effective prevention strategies to protect girls and women. Further research to understand the magnitude and risk for young adolescent sexual coercion and sexual assault is important.…”