This study presents quantitative and qualitative findings gathered in the peri-urban areas of Luanda from December 2001 to January 2002 by Development Workshop.  The study aimed to trace the profile of households encountered in the area with a particular attention to female-headed households.  The attention given to gender is due to the few existing studies in this area and the importance to assess households dynamics through a gender lens.

Thus, the study attempted to answer a set of questions regarding the living conditions of household heads and children in particular in female-headed and male-headed households in regards to education, nutrition and involvement in economic activities to assess whether there is a transmission of disadvantages to children.

The study revealed that the majority of people in the research area lived in precarious conditions. Housing was observed to constitute a major problem due to scarce resources to improve/repairs, unclear housing policies and few available land to build. It showed that people are faced with a daily struggle to access social services. These are mostly found in the informal sector and were described as being of poor quality.

DOWNLOAD PDF:

Integrated Questionnaire

Land Housing Questionnaire

The aim of the proposed project is to explore some of the effects of civil war on different household types in one of Luanda most populous peri-urban area. The project will assess how households headed by women and men respond to adversity and secure their livelihoods in an environment of conflict, economic decline and social disparities.  More specifically, this project will provide empirical data on the situation of children in the different household type for micro development interventions in a peace building and reconstruction phase.

Against this background, the aims of the present project is to more accurately assess through the cases of Luanda’s peri-urban area, how conflict situation may have impacted positively or negatively on family arrangements and subsequently on households unit headed by women. Given the fact that the bulk of gender and development literature portray women-headed households as being over-represented among the poorest segment of the population, as being more vulnerable than their counterparts in male-headed household, and as being bad for children, it seems important to test whether these assumptions hold in the case of Luanda peri-urban area.

This report presents findings of an ‘Action Research Project on Priorities for Peace-building in Angola’, with the objective of to identify opportunities and threats for the peace process in Angola over the short and medium term, following the end of Angola’s long civil war in April 2002.  The need for this research was based on recognition of the vast challenges that Angola faces in strengthening the peace process and ensuring the country’s stability, and on a desire to make a positive contribution to that process. The fieldwork was conducted in five peri-urban areas, two rural areas and three Gathering Areas in Huambo from November 2002 to March 2003.  The research was conducted through unstructured discussions, focus groups discussions and questionnaires.

The research indicates changes in the underlying social structure and political and economic context that have repercussions for the capacity of communities to organise themselves and resolve problems.  It is these capacities, however, that will be essential to the consolidation of peace and to development and stability. Community solidarity in rural and peri-urban areas in Huambo has been reduced. Traditional practices and culture have been weakened. Community and social groups can be exclusive, and may divide as well as unite. Community groups are linked to outside institutions. The capacity of communities to resolve internal conflicts has been weakened. The capacity of communities to influence local administrations is weak. Communities have limited access to information from outside.

The capacity of communities to deal with new challenges is constrained by these changes. New challenges include the return of IDPs, reintegration of ex-combatants, land conflicts, the presence of small arms, banditry and robbery, reconciliation and future elections. 

DOWNLOAD PDF:

The project is implemented by DW and partner organisations, coordinated by DW’s ‘Voices for Peace’ project in Huambo and assisted by DW’s research unit. The project will start in October with a ‘pilot’ assessment in Huambo province. This activity is aimed at identifying key questions and to prepare the structure of peacebuilding manual, case study analysis and research report. Based on the assessment in Huambo, the research methods seminar will be prepared, to be conducted at the beginning of November in Luanda with the field researchers that will be selected from partner organizations in Luanda and in the respective provinces. They will be trained in conducting a peace and conflict assessment, key stakeholder analysis, conflict mapping, conducting semi-structured interviews, leading focus group discussions and executing a provincial case study analysis.

During November, the field research teams will conduct research in the respective provinces, meeting towards the end of the month with the project coordination in Luanda. The field teams will prepare the case study analysis for editing. The peacebuilding manual and final report will be prepared by the ‘Voices for Peace’ project team and community members in Huambo. After circulation of first drafts to all partners, suggestions and comments will be included in the publications in January 2003. Editing, printing and dissemination of publications will be done by the project coordination during February and March. A final workshop with all project participants for discussion of results is planned to be held in Luanda at the beginning of April 2003.

DOWNLOAD PDF:

Este livro é direccionado aos comunidades do Huambo que ainda estão a lutar para uma vida melhor, todos ansiosos de provar que a paz vinha para ficar. O livro deveria ajudar a refletir sobre o estado actual da nossa sociedade, para perceber melhor porque ainda existem tantas problemas e tanta pobreza. Mas no seu coração, o livro intende de mostrar que nos todos temos que tomar a nossa iniciativa de enfrentar os desafios que inibem uma verdadeira paz e a eliminação da pobreza no nosso seio.

O livro foi produzido pelo projecto ‘Vozes da Paz’ da DW-Huambo conjunto com os oito grupos comunitários com quais o projecto trabalha. As comunidades fizeram a pesquisa re recolheram as vozes da população através de quase 200 entrevistas no município de Huambo e Caala. Os oito grupos também foram responsáveis na edição do livro.

O livro e direcionado a todos indivíduos, grupos, organizações e instituições que se preocupam com o desenvolvimento comunitário e o fortalecimento do processo da paz no nosso pais. Especificamente e dirigido a eles que são convencidos que a participação de todo cidadão Angolano é necessário, seja da área rural, peri-urbana ou rural, seja desclocado, mutilado ou ex-combatente, seja da MPLA, da UNITA ou dum outro partido.