Effects of Armed Conflicts on Childrens Development in Selected Camps of Malakal Upper Nile State, South Sudan

ABSTRACT 

This study examined the impact of war on the development of war-affected children in selected camps of Malakai, Upper Nile State, South Sudan. It was guided by three specific objectives: i)To analyse the influence of armed conflict on education and health; ii)To examine how armed conflict has affected the psychological, physical and mental development of children in Malakai, Upper Nile State, South Sudan; and iii),to identify challenges to children development in the camps. The study used a cross-sectional study design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This approach was used because the information on the impact of armed conflicts on children's development would be generated at a particular point in time. It also employed correlational survey to test the null hypothesis of the significant relationship between the impact of armed conflict and children's development. Data analysis using means showed that the influence of armed conflict on education and health in Malakai is 2.6325 with a standard deviation of 0.38721 indicating that it is high on the Likert scale on average. On children's development, parents rated the children's development in Malakai very low with an average mean of 1.6650 and standard deviation of 0.45320. The findings also indicated that there is no significant correlation between the impact of armed conflict and children's development in Malakai, r=.066 (sigs >0.05), the sig-value .189, greater than .05, the level of significance. The linear regression results in Table 5 indicated that the impact of armed conflict insignificantly affects children's development (F=.035, sig. =.035). The results indicate that children's development included in the regression model contribute over 99% towards armed conflict in case of (R2 =.000). The coefficients section of this table indicates the extent to which armed conflicts affects children's development and this is indicated by Beta values (.017).Given the high Likert Scale results the study concluded that the influence of armed conflict affected the education and health of children staying in the camps in Malakai town. The children's development in Malakai is very low. Finally the findings indicated that there is no significant correlation between the impact of armed conflict and children's developmentin Malakai, Upper Nile State, South Sudan. From the findings and the conclusions of the study, the researcher recommends the need to uplift the competencies of parents since they were primary holders as this directly impacts on children development and control armed conflicts since it also impact on children development.

TABLE OF CONTENT

DEDICATION

DECLARATION A ii

DECLARATION B iii

ACKNOLEDGEMENT iv

ABBREVIATIONS V

TABLE OF CONTENT vii

LIST OF TABLES X

ABSTRACT xi

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.1.1 Historical Perspective 1

1.1.2 Theoretical Perspectives 3

1.1.3 Conceptua I Perspectives 6

1.1.4 Contextual perspectives 7

1.2 Statement of the problem 9

1.3 Purpose of the Study 10

1.4 Research Objectives 10

1.4.1 General Objective 10

1.4.2 Specific objectives 10

1.5 Research questions: 11

1.6 Scope of the study

1.6.1 Geographical scope

1.6.3 Content scope

1.7 Significance of the study.

1.8 Operational Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.0 Introduction

2.1 Theoretical review

2.3 Related studies

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

3.1 Research Design

3.2 Research Population

3.3 Sample Size

3.4 Sampling Procedures

3.5 Research Instruments

3.6 Validity and reliability of the instruments

3.7 Data Gathering Procedures

3.8 Data analysis

3.9 Ethical consideration

3.10 Limitations to the study

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS 43

4.0 Introduction

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSIONS, CONLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Introduction

5.1 Discussions

5.2 Conclusions

5.3 Recommendations

Areas for Further Research

REFERENCES

APPENDIX IA INTRODUCTORY LETTER

APPENDIX IB TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR THE RESPONDENTS

APPENDIX II CLEARANCE FROM ETHICS COMMITTEE

APPENDIX III INFORMED CONSENT

APPENDIX IV SECTION I: FACE SHEET: PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

APPENDIX V Map of South Sudan; Areas affected by armed conflicts

APPENDIX IV KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW GUIDE

APPENDIX VII SAMPLE POPULATION

RESEARCHER'S CURRICULUM VITAE