Abstract:
This thesis describes the rehabilitation and reintegration process for children who served
as child soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Northern Uganda. It examines
the rehabilitation and reintegration process, arguing that a more clearly gendered
approach should be in place because the current process does not adequately deal with the
range of psychological effects or the particular kinds of traumas that the girls experience.
Even though rehabilitation programs describe their programs as individualistic where
girls’ needs are addressed, there are many reasons why different rehabilitation and
reintegration protocols should be in place for handling the differences for girls. This
thesis examines the background of the conflict, modes of abduction and coercion into the
LRA, the roles of the children in the LRA, and the ways they leave the rebel forces. This
thesis serves as a reference and resource for individuals interested in the conflict in
Northern Uganda and the complex rehabilitation and reintegration processes that follow.
