Karamoja Situational Analysis Northern Uganda Women's Empowerment Programme (NUWEP)

Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda has a legacy of violent pastoralists conflicts associated with decades of cattle rustling which has caused immeasurable suffering for the people, especially the women and girls. Many women were widowed and others rape and even killed as they travel long distances in search of water, firewood, charcoal, and food. Nevertheless, evidence from our field study and existing literature indicate that the region is experiencing relative peace as a result of the on-going disarmament process. The widespread insecurity associated with cattle rustling and armed banditry on highways in the past is no longer experienced on large scale except pockets of petty thefts. There is still residual raiding between the Dodoth and the Jie. The most significant sources of tensions are the presence of guns in the hands of a few unarmed youth, presence of idle and redundant disarmed youth engaged in criminal activities, bad politicking, greed and corruption in the civil service.