Refugees International: Articles: 16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence: DDRR

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16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence: DDRR

Darfur 2004: Soldiers
11/25/2006

Refugees International joins the 16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence to focus attention on how the effects of displacement are experienced differently by men and women. RI is dedicated to building greater awareness of GBV and incorporates a gender analysis of the situation of all displaced people and peacekeepers.

DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION, REINTEGRATION & REPATRIATION (DDRR)

The process of demobilizing and disarming combatants and repatriating and reintegrating them into their home communities is one of the most immediate and complex challenges faced in post-conflict situations. Programs that disband armed groups, remove arms and explosives from circulation, and prepare individuals to return to civilian society are essential. They serve as a transitional safety net for ex-combatants as they return to their former lives or build new lives.

These programs, however, rarely reach all the groups returning to civilian society. In 2003, RI documented how "bush wives" of UNITA soldiers and abducted girls in Angola were excluded from a demobilization plan jointly planned by the World Bank and the Government of Angola. Even when women and child soldiers are able to access demobilization and reintegration programs, they often find that their needs are not accommodated such as in Liberia in 2004. In June of 2005, Refugees International called attention to FDLR (Forces Democratiques de Liberation du Rwanda) dependent women and children in the Congo and argued that their needs must be taken into account as the UN peacekeeping force demobilizes the fighters and helps them and their families return home to Rwanda in peace. Stigmatization, psychological and physical trauma, and the burden of dependents—all common for women and children in post-conflict settings—are rarely addressed by these programs.

RI’s policy recommendations for demobilization and reintegration programs underscore the importance of monitoring and implementing gender-sensitive programs. Calling on the UN to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325, RI insists on involving women in all disarmament exercises and calls for programs that address the needs of women and children in post-conflict settings. Carefully planned demobilization programs have the potential to generate positive change and greater equality in post-conflict settings.

Introduction	Domestic Violence	Rape & Sexual Violence
Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDS	Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration & Repatriation (DDRR)	Human Trafficking
Child Soldiers	Sexual Exploitation & Peacekeeping	Additional Resources