Teso’s Re-Forgotten Children Born of War in Uganda: At the Margins of Analysis and Interventions

Abstract

Attention to Uganda’s children born of war, also known as children born in captivity – to former child soldiers, emerged, following the publication of a thesis on Uganda's forgotten children born of war was fronted by Apio (2007). From that time, various academic researchers have analysed the plight of these children and their findings have influenced interventions targeting them. However, progress has still left some of the areas that were not at the epicenter of the war at the margins. Teso was as well intensely affected by the war but because it was not at the epicenter of the war, it fell through the cracks. This article uses empirical data analysed from Teso sub-region, as part of a study on children born of war in Uganda. These indicate that the plight of these children is not different from those in Acholi and Lango sub-regions, and also provide additional insight that is essential for the broadening of knowledge on the subject. This paper argues for academic and development practitioners to pay attention to the needs of Teso’s children born of war - as a precursor to their sustainable integration and post-war justice benefits like reparations.

Received: 29 December 2023 / Accepted: 25 February 2024 / Published: 6 March 2024