“Warfare has different effects on men and women. In addition, women who are victims of sexual gender-based violence in war are often left out when society is rebuilt,” says Susan Asio from Uganda. She was one of seven students to complete a 20 week course at the Gender Equality Studies and Training (GEST) Programme in 2011. The Programme is designed for students from developing countries and areas of military conflict. This is an interdisciplinary study, run by the School of Humanities in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Asio, who is educated in Social Work and Public Administration, has worked for the International organisation Isis-Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange in her native country. Isis works for women’s rights in areas of conflict and reconstruction. She had the opportunity to attend the GEST course through her work.
Aiso discussed in her final project how women war survivors of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) in the conflicts in Northern Uganda can be involved in the peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction processes. Warfare in the country ended in 2008 after over two decades of conflict. Women survivors, many of whom were kidnapped and made soldiers or raped, now deal with the consequences in the form of mental and physical ailments; such as HIV and psychological trauma. Their fate has received little attention, says Aiso, who suggests various ways in her project to improve the situation for these women and increase the influence of women in general in all facets of Ugandan society.
Aiso said it had been quite the experience to come to Iceland and study at GEST. “I learned a great deal from the conversations I had with the lecturers and people from different parts of the world and different cultures. We learned new ways to demand increased gender equality in our countries,” says Aiso, who says that she can, without a doubt, use the studies in her work in Uganda.
