| dc.description.abstract | In the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of orphans in Uganda especially in Gulu District. The problem of orphans did not begin with the advent of HIV/ AIDS. The civil war of almost two decades and other causes have also produced an unprecedented number of orphans in the region. Throughout this time, the traditional extended family absorbed the brunt of this impact. However, with the increase in the number of orphans, the absorbing capacity of the extended families has reached crisis proportions. If not appropriately tended to, the problem could also threaten the security and integration of the state, a situation that could be seen as the breeding ground for future violence and civil unrest.
The study examined the factors affecting the quality of orphan care provided by women caregivers in Gulu District. Specifically, the study sought to establish how the profiles and socio-cultural constraints women caregivers face affect the quality of orphan care. In addition to that, the study also sought to establish how the coping mechanisms women caregivers had adopted affected the quality of orphan care they provided.
The study was mainly qualitative in-",atu_rewith a purposively selected sample of 45 respondents. The main' ~ods of data collection included focus group discussions with women caregivers, in-depth interviews with caregrvers, 8 key informant interviews and observation. However, basic quantitative data on the women orphan caregiver's demographic and socio-economic characteristics was gathered using a semi structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed before, during and after data collection where tentative themes and code categories were formulated and later assembled together. Sociological theories were also used in analyzing data for the study.
Since the study was exploratory in nature and sought to get an in depth analysis of the caregiver phenomenon, it adopted purposive sampling method to select both the study site and respondents. This was done to ensure that the right individuals with information for the study are selected.
According to the findings of the study, it was revealed that the profile of women caregivers significantly affected the quality of orphan care provided. Other caregivers included aunties, older siblings and a non relative. It was established that by virtue of their marital status, single, widowed and separated women caregivers had relative access to productive resources which affected the quality of orphan care. Caregivers with low levels of education were also found occupying low status jobs which were less rewarding therefore given the high dependency ratios that characterize orphan caregiver households, the quality of orphan care was affected as caregivers were not in position to provide all their basic needs such as education, access to proper health and a balanced diet.
Findings also revealed that Paicho being a patriarchal society, it tended to perpetuate oppression of women by men which generated gender discrimination against women. It was established that women orphan caregivers had relative acsess to land, credit, education, property, and returns on labour. This ~;f~d their productivity as it put them in a position of powerlessness that constrained their ability to provide quality care to orphaned children.
In addition, the study findings also revealed that, the copmg mechanisms adopted by the women caregivers largely affected the quality of orphan care provided by the women caregivers. The coping mechanisms included income generating activities, hired labour, food rationing, wife inheritance and commercial sex. It was later established that women caregivers had limited time to attend to the
needs of orphan as the coping mechanisms they had adopted were too demanding. This therefore affected the quality of orphan care.
The researcher concludes by noting that, the orphan burden on caregivers is a window on the potential for massive social breakdown in Uganda. The study therefore recommends that the government of Uganda should explore potentially feasible solutions to curb the number of orphans from growing. This will ensure that the dependency ratios don't increase which might affect the quality of orphan care. The government should also reinforce the existing laws against women discrimination so that women can have access to the much needed resources and enjoy the equal rights with men. Finally government and other developmental partners should re-design gender specific interventions which will help reduce on women's vulnerability. | en |
