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Sierra Leone

Towards More Informed Responses to Gender Violence and HIV/AIDS in Post-Conflict West African Settings

Upphovsperson: Ahonsi, Babatunde A.
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2010
Ämnesord: Violence against women, sexual abuse, Sexually transmitted diseases, Hiv, aids prevention, Women’s health, gender relations, Post-conflict reconstruction, West Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
The evidence is incontrovertible that Liberia (with its two civil wars, 1989-97 and 2000-03) and Sierra Leone (with its 1991-2001 war) have emerged from two of the most inhuman, ferocious and cruel conflicts in the post-Cold war era. The scale of destruction, rape, mayhem, arson and torture perpetrated during these wars was among the greatest in Africa’s postcolonial history. Women, especially adolescents and young adults, were exposed to extreme sexual brutality at a time when a growing heterosexually-driven HIV pandemic was occurring in the West African sub-region. Both countries also experienced an economic and social collapse that resulted in human development indicators on employment, income, health, education, women’s status and child well-being that are among the lowest in the world. Protracted armed conflicts, as witnessed in Liberia and Sierra Leone and beyond, expose women and girls to unprecedented levels and forms of sexual violence. Moreover, the expectation that the transition from war to peace will lead to significantly reduced sexual violence against women (SVAW) is often disappointed. Instead, post-conflict transitions tend to produce a change in the predominant forms of sexual violence and the profile of its perpetrators. The extended and interlinked conflicts in these neighbouring countries relate at a fundamental level to the persistent denial of citizenship rights to particular population sub-groups over several decades. Within such landscapes of severe social, economic and political marginalization and deprivation, women and girls were bound to suffer more than men and boys during and after the wars as a result of long-established and deeply entrenched patriarchal structures and ideologies in both countries. The persistence of SVAW during post-conflict transitions tends to increase the risk of HIV infection among younger women relative to the phase of armed conflict. A key causal factor is men’s highly exploitative, transactional and cross-generational multiple sexual activities. Thus far, the dominant responses to this complex of issues in post-conflict West Africa have lacked a nuanced understanding of the underlying drivers of sexual violence and its intersections with women’s higher risk of HIV infection.The policy responses to the challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and peace-building in West Africa have generally focused more on traditional security, physical infrastructurere building and economic revitalization issues than on such highly gendered human security concerns as sexual violence and violations of reproductive rights. Left unaddressed, these persisting or worsening human security challenges, affecting at least half their populations, make sustainable peace and development in post-conflict Liberia and Sierra Leone nearly impossible.

Dynamics of post-conflict reconstruction and peace building in West Africa : between change and stability

Upphovsperson: Ismail, Olawale
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2009
Ämnesord: conflicts, Peacebuilding, Peacekeeping, Post-conflict reconstruction, Peace agreements, Regional organizations, Economic Community of West African States ECOMOG, West Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
This NAI Discussion Paper critically explores the concepts, norms and practices of reconstruction and peace building in post-conflict West Africa, drawing largely on the case of Liberia and Sierra Leone. It provides an up-to-date analysis and critique of the impact of the UN-led praxis and practice of peace building in the post-conflict states in the region. The material in this study covers the context of post-conflict reconstruction and peace building in West Africa; the evolution and analysis of the global peace building regime; the architecture of peace building in West Africa; the ‘un-making’ of peace building in Sierra Leone. It also interrogates the basic assumtions that underpin international peace building in Africa, noting that at best, it is designed to promote stability and security rather than a deeper and more sustainable popular and socially rooted peace.

Presidential elections in Sierra Leone

Upphovsperson: Utas, Mats
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Urban Dynamics | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2007
Ämnesord: Sierra Leone, elections, political parties, democracy, Presidency, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP
On August 11 Sierra Leone will vote democratically for the second timesince the end of the decade long civil war that raged between 1991 and 2002. Many international observers believe that this election is an important testfor democracy in Sierra Leone. Many Sierra Leoneans call democracy Demare-Crazy and politics politrix.

Mano river basin area : formal and informal security providers in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone

Upphovspersoner: Jörgel, Magnus | Utas, Mats
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Urban Dynamics | Stockholm : Defence analysis, Swedish defence research agency (FOI)
År: 2007
Ämnesord: West Africa, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mano River, ECOWAS, African Union, Security sector reform, Informal sector, Regional security, Peacekeeping, Development strategy, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning

Sexual abuse survivors and the complex of traditional healing : (G)local prospects in the aftermath of an African war

Upphovsperson: Utas, Mats
Utgivare: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År: 2009
Ämnesord: Civil war, sexual abuse, Women, victims, Humanitarian assistance, Traditional medicine, healing, Post-conflict reconstruction, Reconciliation, Sierra Leone, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning
In its efforts to assist post-conflict societies in africa the international aid community has acitvely promoted projects of psycho-social healing among people traumatized during wars and violent conflict. To a large degree these projects have been established in the tradtion of Western psychology. More recently, however, it has been realized in order to help survivors of war effectivley it is necessary to adapt projects and enhance “local” psycho-social healing. This policy report locates the structures – with local legitimacy – that are available to young people who experienced sexual abuse during the Sierra Leone civil war (1991–2002). To this end, this booklet discusses a healing complex that comprises a number of overlapping actors, including herbalists, Zoe Mammies (heads of the female secret societies), Mori-men (Muslim healers); Karamokos (Muslim teachers) and Christian pastors. CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Scope of the study 2.1 Methods 2.2 Research ethichs 3. Limitations of the study 4. War-related sexual abuse 4.1 Quantitative findings 4.2 Qualitative findings 4.3 Turning a page? Sexual abuse in post-war reality 5. Variations of traditional healing 5.1 Notes on mental illness in Sierra Leone 5.2 The healing complex6. Traditional healing of sexual abuse 6.1 From the girls’ and young women’s perspective 6.2 The herbalist 6.3 The Karamoko and the Mori-man 6.4 The Soweh mammy and female herbalist (Kuntumoi musu) 6.5 Cleansing the bush 6.6 The pastor 6.7 Talking trauma – notes on counselling 7. Findings and recommendations 7.1 Social approaches towards the sexually abused 7.2 Girls’ and young women’s practices related totraditional healing 7.3 Findings on traditional healers 7.4 Recommendations Appendices

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