Participation in Peacebuilding: Reintegration Programming in Colombia

Abstract

Colombia and its civil and state institutions, including the Colombian Agency for Reintegration (ACR), have been implementing Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs for over a decade. Concurrently the largest peace talks in Colombia’s history are reaching milestones in Havana, Cuba. Participants in the ACR’s programming include former adult and child combatants of most of Colombia’s illegal armed guerrilla and paramilitary groups. Independent research through semi-structured interviews in Bogota and Medellin, Colombia was conducted to examine levels of internal beneficiary participation within the Colombian Agency for Reintegration’s (ACR’s) programming, as well as the ability of ACR programs to meet participants’ needs and contribute to the progressing peace process in Colombia. Active participants and former participants in the reintegration process, and ACR staff were surveyed through interviews for quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Findings demonstrate moderate levels of participation from participants, a moderate to high level of participant needs satisfaction, and a high perception of stigma felt by the reintegrated population. Recommendations were given to increase beneficiary participation within program development initiatives and to increase programs’ structural flexibility to meet participants’ needs more effectively. The main findings support general development literature in that increased input and ownership from stakeholders in programming leads to more efficacious results. Participation in peace processes in Colombia and on a global scale, increases stakeholder satisfaction and can lead to more sustainable, long-term peace.