Accountability and redress for grave rights violations and crimes committed against war-affected populations remains a key priority for Tufts/FIC.
For nearly a decade, our teams have been working in northern Uganda to document and report on grave violations against civilians during the decades-long wars.
All women, men, girls, and boys are entitled to protection and rights as laid out in international covenants and conventions. Protection of human rights and protection from grave crimes is a primary obligation of the state. However, during armed conflict, mass flight across borders, or transitions from conflict to post-conflict, the state may be unwilling or unable to fulfill its protective obligations, with devastating consequences for the most vulnerable. Through its research, the Center works to draw attention to the obligations of governments and non-state armed groups to respect, protect, and uphold people’s fundamental rights. We work to shape policies and programs that support key actors in meeting these responsibilities. We also work closely with victims, survivors, and at-risk populations to inform and develop strategies that uphold their rights.
Active Research The flagship reconstruction program for northern Uganda (NUSAF Phase II) started implementation in 2010. Our work has informed this process and hence we are hopeful that NUSAF will yield some positive results for the lives of women and children who have suffered grave violations and serious crimes. Under a two-year research project with funding from Irish Aid/Kampala, FIC researchers are studying how groups are using customary mechanisms to respond to the changing social, political and economic environment in Karamoja. How does the work of aid agencies during and after conflict affect people’s perceptions of change? What can we learn from recent experience? Our work in Nepal has uncovered a number of interesting issues around the humanitarian-development relationship and the challenges of social transformation in a (hopefully) post-conflict environment that we feel are important to research both because they are largely unexplored and because of their potential policy implications.
Previous Research
Recent Publications