Youth perspectives on identity and national unity in Uganda

This report stems from a study carried out by International Alert aimed at fostering peace in Uganda, particularly in the post-conflict areas of northern Uganda. It is one of the follow-up activities designed to specifically look at the previously unstudied topic of youth perceptions of identity and national unity in Uganda.

The study aimed to gain deeper insights into understanding identity and nationhood among the youth in Uganda. At the same time, it sought to find out the role that the government, civil society organisations and religious and cultural institutions have played in moulding the youth into good citizens.

Using interviews, focus group discussions and documentary data, the study enlisted a total of 1,036 respondents from 12 districts in Uganda. It employed a two-stage simple random sampling technique to obtain respondents. A list of villages per district was obtained from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) office. From the selected villages, a list of households was obtained from the Local Council I chairpersons, who also facilitated the selection of households with youths. The study gathered collective perceptions of the youth regarding national identity and unity, along with their participation in political and government activities.