How to Reintegrate Girls Through Participation
The reintegration of former child soldiers in their former communities poses challenges. SFCG attended a performance by former child soldiers who formed a dance troop.
Next Friday, October 7th, Search for Common Ground is hosting a discussion with the Washington Network on Children and Armed Conflict (WNCAC) on Participatory Approaches to Girls’ Reintegration – Lessons from Participatory Action Research in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and northern Uganda.
Efforts to reintegrate war-affected young people often aspire to enable ‘participation,’ yet most initiatives fall short of achieving meaningful participation. A recent research project with a highly participatory process will be described by the two speakers, Susan McKay and Mike Wessels. Susan McKay is Professor of Gender and Women’s at the University of Wyoming Mike Wessels is Professor at Columbia University in the Program on Forced Migration and Health.
McKay and Wessels with their team have recently conducted a research project on community-based reintegration support for girl mothers and other vulnerable girls returning from armed forces or armed groups to their communities in Northern Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Discussion with the panelists and the audience will explore other approaches to enabling meaningful participation, the obstacles to achieving participation, and means of overcoming them.
Spaces are limited so reserve yours now!
Participatory Approaches to Girls’ Reintegration
Friday, October 7
11AM – 1PM
Search for Common Ground
4th Floor, Conference Room
1601 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Dupont Circle Metro North
More About Our Work:
The Washington Network on Children and Armed Conflict (WNCAC) is an informal network initiated in July 2004 by Search for Common Ground and the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund of USAID with the broad aim of improving the protection of children affected by armed conflict. Topics covered relate to such issues and areas of practice as child protection, education, and psychosocial interventions in emergencies; child soldiers; separated children, humanitarian relief, post-conflict development; conflict resolution; and peace building.
The Network for Youth in Transition is a free online evidence-based resource focused on youth and transition issues. It includes funding opportunities, evaluations, innovative youth programs,reports, videos, and members from over 1000 countries.
