From war to peace: Socio-economic reintegration of ex-combatants in the DRC

ADDIS ABABA (ILO News) – In the DRC, for the past 15 years the ILO has been supporting post-conflict recovery through socio-economic reintegration of ex-combatants, including children. Armed conflicts leave behind large numbers of ex-combatants, from regular armies or from rebel and paramilitary groups, whose disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) into civilian life is critical for a successful transition from war to peace.

For ex-combatants, including former child soldiers, demobilization often entails immediate loss of income and social status. Rapidly providing assistance to support the transition from military to civilian life is a central component of ILO’s work in facilitating DDR processes in post-conflict situations and enables ex-combatants and host communities to find alternative livelihoods and to rebuild their communities.

Key messages

• Providing conflict-affected children with employment opportunities is key to prevent recruitment and use in armed conflict
• Work is essential to ensure sustainable reintegration of former child soldiers
• Work is an element of peace building and development
The ILO promotes micro and small enterprises, employability and vocational training, and cooperatives development. The latter in particular strengthens social cohesion and improves community collaboration.

The project strategy includes:

• Training needs are evaluated with the active participation of the ex-combatants and the local community. Training content is defined in accordance with their aspirations and skills, but also according to labour market needs and perspectives in their host communities.
• Training in management, cooperative organization, and the creation and management of micro and small enterprises.
• Community sensitization, education, and job orientation. Communities need to become part of the reintegration process. Reconciliation at all levels of society is critical to ex-combatants' full reintegration and society's long-term recovery and community- based reintegration can be an indispensable opportunity in this process.
• Support for local production, transformation, and commercialization of the new ex-combatants’ enterprises and/or cooperatives.
All these activities are implemented by local execution agencies, such as local NGOs and church- based associations, close to and respected by the host communities and the ex-combatants.

Results achieved

Nearly 15,000 ex-combatants, adults, and young men and women, have been reintegrated in their host community through individual or collective micro-enterprises.

3,150 ex-combatants and members of their host community have been organized into production associations. Some 237 cooperatives have been created.

Other income generating activities include short-cycle business-management training, cash grants, access to microfinance and health insurance schemes, as well as coaching. Labour-intensive reconstruction works help rehabilitate severely damaged infrastructure.

For more detailed information, please contact the ILO Communication team in Addis Ababa: [email protected]; [email protected] - : +251 911218113/5