Perceptions of Peace and Reconciliation: Case of Lokokwo Peyot Women’s Group in Paidwe Parish, Bobi Sub-County

Abstract

This research project explores perceptions of peace and reconciliation among female members of the Lokokwo Peyot Women’s Group in Paidwe Parish, Bobi Sub-County, Gulu District. It aims to understand how women define the concepts of peace and reconciliation and how women currently perceive peace and reconciliation within their community. It also attempts to further understand these perceptions through examining the women’s past experiences and current challenges. The project displays the impact of women’s involvement in peacebuilding and conflict mediation in a region that is desperately trying to recover from decades of destruction and violence. Research was carried out at two separate but related locations in Gulu District: the home of the Lokokwo Peyot group’s Chairperson in Paidwe Parish within Bobi Sub-County, and the main office of Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G) in Gulu Municipality. Eleven individual interviews and two group discussions form the foundation of this project. The focus on the Lokokwo Peyot Women’s Group was made possible through the assistance and cooperation of GWED-G staff members, and the interested group members who so generously donated their time and experiences. This study discovered that women in the Lokokwo Peyot group have witnessed significant changes personally and locally since the group’s founding in 2009, and they feel that an environment of relative peace has developed in the community. Although traditionally women do not speak publicly or actively participate in community meetings, the women’s involvement in the group challenges such cultural norms and allows them to feel empowered and respected. By promoting a peaceful environment from within their individual homes and villages, group members have succeeded in decreasing the level of conflict and violence present