Once we were Warriors: Realizing Resources, Demobilization and Community Resilience Among Former Child Soldiers in Fragile States

project summary

In fragile states the potentiality of sustainable peace, livelihoods and civic security are inseparable from the pursuits of political stability and demobilization of networks of terror.  Youth is a particular pertinent group when ensuring sustainable futures in fragile states: Youth holds the future, but at the same time are often targeted to be victims as well as recruited perpetrators in violent conflicts.  Of the 300.000 child soldiers in the world, 40.000 are situated in Uganda. Many of those whom managed to return from networks of terror struggle with war-related trauma and with breaking the cycles of violence; others return to combat. Up to 27.6 % of child soldiers however, despite worst odds, manage to demobilize, build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to community resilience, and the potentiality of peace (Klasen et al 2010). This PhD project explores the positive processes and outcomes former child soldiers in fragile states display, stating that indispensable knowledge lies in studying the representatives of positive differences in contexts of ongoing adversity when wanting to realize strategies of Danish development assistance. The project will thus identify, document and describe what proves to be the key factors that enable resilient outcomes and demobilization in fragile states by following the daily routines, struggles and sense-making of a group of youth who were once warriors but now wish to be something else – and are successful in pursuing this.