Experiences of Women War-Torture Survivors in Uganda: Implications for Health and Human Rights

Helen Liebling-Kalifani, Angela Marshall, Ruth Ojiambo-Ochieng, Nassozi Margaret Kakembo

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    21 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This paper will describe the resulting long-term health needs of women wartorture survivors of the civil war years in Luwero District, Uganda. To do this sections of case studies from interviews carried out in Kikamulo Sub-County, Luwero, are utilised. The effects of gender-based violence and torture and its long term, severe and enduring impact on women's health will be highlighted. In 1994, the Centre for Health and Human rights at Harvard University led the first international conference on health and human rights. This recognised that human rights are an essential pre-condition for physical and mental health. Women's resulting health needs following war, including the urgent need for reproductive and gynaecological health services, are argued to be a fundamental human right which should be upheld through the legal mechanisms available. The paper.. suggests ways of assisting the women war survivors of Luwero and concludes that to be successful integrated health interventions for war-torture survivors need to be combined with the further collective legal, social and political empowerment of women and address the health inequalities and discriminations that exist.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1-17
    Number of pages18
    JournalJournal of International Women's Studies
    Volume8
    Issue number4
    Publication statusPublished - May 2007

    Keywords

    • Uganda
    • War
    • Women

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Gender Studies

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