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Paper long abstract

Formerly displaced young women challenge infantilizing and victimizing language adopted by humanitarian and government institutions. Girls argue concepts like "child mothers" and "child soldiers" are disempowering and deny them access to socially attributed prestige to adulthood yet disassociates them from their childhood. The intersecting nature of their identity thus hinders accessing humanitarian assistance. Due to identity crises young women miss out on assistance targeting either children or women. The concept child mother blames young women for involving in adult (sexual) behaviour. Motherhood is a collective identity which comes along with roles, responsibilities and expectations. Young women thus refrain from problematizing and blaming language. Based on a qualitative study, this article argues that efficient access and use of humanitarian assistance and sustainable post-conflict reconstruction demands self-definition through language. Contextually inclusive language reflective of local experiences and realities must be adopted.

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