Promoting relationships and resilience to violence through youth-centered policies : policy brief 2

Abstract

Despite interventions, participation in violence continues among youth in Uganda in response to discrimination in political processes, unemployment, poverty, poor access to services and other forms of injustice and exclusion. The study “Why they don’t fight” focused on understanding those who choose not to fight while responding to exclusion, discrimination and injustices (EDI), in order to generate state policy recommendations that could reduce youth violence. Resilience is shown to be integrated at interpersonal, family and communal levels, as well as within social bonds generated by schooling and the social environment. Relationship building needs to be emphasized.