From War to Peace, from Soldiers to Peacebuilders: Interim Stabilisation Measures in Afghanistan and South Sudan

Abstract

In post-conflict settings, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programmes are increasingly utilised as a programmatic tool to facilitate an 'enabling environment' so that peace dividends can accrue. Often targeting members of armed forces or groups and their associated members, DDR takes place where there is a signed peace agreement or in contexts where there is no agreed peace agreement, or where armed conflict remains ongoing. As outlined in the United Nations policy guidelines known as the Integrated DDR Standards, disarmament is the collection, management and/or destruction of arms, while demobilisation is the 'controlled' discharge of forces from armed groups in the transition from military to civilian status. In DDR initiatives, reintegration is the long-term process of integrating ex-combatants economically and socially back into communities....