Livelihoods Support Project for Female Survivors of Sexual Violence and Torture in Northern Uganda “ACTV’s experience” Presented by; Samuel Herbert Nsubuga Chief Executive Officer ACTV - Uganda

Content of presentation 1. About ACTV Uganda 2. Project background 3. Project objectives 4. Expected outcomes of the project 5. Project progress 6. Lessons from work done 7. Complimentary efforts towards the project 8. Recommendations 9. Conclusion

About ACTV Uganda We are the only indigenous treatment and rehabilitation centre for survivors of torture in Uganda founded in 1993 Our Vision “A world free from torture”. Our Mission To provide quality holistic care to survivors of torture by state, security agencies and armed groups.

Project background 20 year ( ) conflict in northern Uganda Thousands of girls and young women were abducted by the LRA Women and girls were subjected to all sorts of physical and psychological torture such as; Forced recruitment into rebel ranks, Rape (sometimes gang-rape) and defilement, forced marriage by rebel commanders 1200 female survivors of torture have been supported by ACTV Gulu since 2007 ACTV is currently implementing a client discharge policy The need to emancipate women victims of torture and sexual violence through sustainable livelihoods. Need for self reliance and self help focus to undo dependency

Project goal To empower 200 women victims of torture and sexual violence attain economic stability and self reliance by Project objectives

1. To mentor members of 15 groups of WVST in self reliance participatory development approaches for sustainable livelihood by To equip 200 members of women group of victims of torture with skills to initiate and manage successful livelihoods projects by To support members of 15 women group victims of torture to undertake viable livelihoods activities for food security and value addition by the end of To support 200 women access holistic rehabilitation services within their communities by the end of To strengthen community user advocacy initiatives carried out by women victims of torture in former LRA affected communities in Gulu district by To support members of 6 groups of WVST to establish alternative sources of income through community tailoring projects by 2012

Project strategies Capacity Building for Livelihoods Self Reliance Participatory Development model Self Help Group approach (informed by experiences from South East Asia such as Sri Lanka, India among others) Livelihood Enterprises Community Awareness and Advocacy Mentoring and coaching for women group members Peer psychosocial support Smallholder Value chain management

Expected outcomes of the project 200 women managing successful livelihoods projects Households of 200 women enjoying food security and economic stability Household of 200 women victims of torture managing sustainable income generating projects at household and group level. 30 women able to provide peer counseling and rehabilitative support to fellow torture victims in their groups and communities 100 women saving income with group savings and credit schemes formed as a result of this intervention 200 women able to speak out on issues affecting their lives as a result of torture to government officials and security agencies through public awareness campaigns against torture. Local government and security agencies in Gulu district and surrounding communities embrace torture prevention measures proposed by women activists against torture

Project progress Project induction has been done for 12 key staff (directly or indirectly) involved in the project  Agreed on project delivery strategies, accountability and reporting  Aligned details in project document with current context (costs)  Helped in mapping of operation area for this pilot project e.t.c Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the project has been developed Tool for baseline data collection has been developed to assess the status of each household at the inception of the project Beneficiary selection process is underway until now  Criteria for beneficiary selection has been agreed  Identification of women survivors of torture & sexual violence  Identification of groups within operation area (ACTV and partner organizations )

Project progress Training of trainers for 13 ACTV staff in self reliance participatory development model facilitated by Uganda Change Agent Association (UCAA) training detail;  Principles of self-reliant participatory development  The process of conscientisation in self reliance  Working with groups (group dynamics, group self evaluation)  Operation and management of the savings and credit schemes  Identification and selection of business enterprises, gross margin analysis  Business planning  Marketing and value chain analysis and management Project baseline data collection for selected beneficiaries

Lessons from work done Participation of women survivors of torture and sexual violence in other groups has been minimal and ineffective for some clients due to stigma Self reliance can only be built on ones appreciation of what they have “however little it may be as a starting point to challenge, inspire and motivate them to take up action” Conscientisation process is foundational in guiding self reliance. (Each person should be helped to understand the root cause of their problem especially poverty through a self assessment and discovery exercise rather than blaming it on external factors only”.) Self reliance is not primarily driven by handouts and donations but on the will to change status quo in order to live fulfilled. Government livelihoods projects have failed as a result.

Complimentary effort to the project Training social workers in psychosocial peer support by Center for International Stabilization and Recovery January 2012 Prospect of a livelihoods exchange partnership between ACTV and Survivors Associated Supply of guide handbooks on Self Reliance participatory Development by Uganda Change Agent Association

Recommendations Since this is pilot intervention covering one district in Northern Uganda, a thorough process evaluation should be conducted at the end of the project to inform subsequent livelihoods interventions for survivors of torture in other areas of Uganda and African partners. Ultimately, the process of emancipation should empower women to form or join Human rights associations or bodies for Human rights defenders in order to augment advocacy efforts against torture nationally, regionally and internationally

Conclusion Although this project is in its early stages, it provides a firm opportunity for ACTV and other partner organizations involved in rehabilitation of survivors of torture to develop sustainable mechanisms for enhancing self reliance and self help among survivors of torture in order to eliminate the high levels of dependency which emerge from the wide spectrum of social- economic and political effects of torture common among citizens, refugees, Asylum seekers among others. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME