Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes for children

The issue of rehabilitation and reintegration is critical so as to ensure that cycles of violence and conflict are not perpetuated. It is crucial to secure the long-term sustainability of interventions, and to support and invest in the capacity of national authorities to assume their lead responsibility in this regard.The Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards (2006) and Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups (2007) represent major progress and now require effective implementation.

Reintegration of children in situations of armed conflict is a complex and long-term proposition. It begins with negotiating the release of children and their physical extrication from armed groups. The family tracing and reunification phase that follows is often complicated, time-consuming and resource-intensive. Beyond the practical challenge of locating the families and communities of lost children, successful reunification must also address the less straightforward challenge of "spiritually" reconnecting children and their communities. This includes dealing with the sense of alienation, guilt or anger that children may harbour against families whom they may accuse of failing to protect them. At the same time, reintegration programmes must also take into account challenges related to the communities themselves being prepared to accept the return of their children, in contexts where atrocities may have been committed by those children in their communities.

Local approaches to justice and reconciliation are increasingly playing a role in transitional justice strategies, building upon traditional norms to strengthen the protection of children in communities. In research conducted in Sierra Leone, local actors cited the most positive reconciliation experiences as those that included traditional approaches. Children compelled to commit atrocities during the conflict reported that they had gained acceptance in their communities through dialogue based on traditional healing mechanisms. The feasibility of involving children in traditional approaches to justice and enhancing their role in community reconciliation requires further attention.

The challenges associated with the longer-term reintegration of children in war-affected communities and best practices in this regard indicate that a comprehensive understanding of reintegration is required. All reintegration programmes should follow the Paris Principles, formulated to guide protection partners on the ground. For best results these programmes must be founded on inclusive community-based programming and should be directed at all children in the community so as not to stigmatize child soldiers. They should build on the strengths of the children, especially their resilience, and children and youth should be consulted in the process. The special problem of girls should also be explicitly addressed. In doing this we should not romanticize the community and should realize that many children may fall through the cracks - girl children in conservative societies, urban children and other vulnerable children. It is important for special programmes to be devised for them. Education and youth employment remain key elements both in the prevention of recruitment and in the sustainable reintegration of children back into their societies.

Unfortunately, although UNICEF and NGO partners on the ground have identified these principles, donor response to their efforts has not always been forthcoming. In a recent survey, 67 per cent of donors stated that they were reluctant to support such programmes that rest on the development of the community. The international community is quick to respond to emergency funding requests, but the reintegration of children falls into the fault line between emergency assistance and development assistance. It is important for the donor community to appreciate the special needs of the children and for timely and sustained resources to be provided to child protection partners so that they may do their work more efficiently.