A New Perspective on Gender in DDR Processes

The document advocates for a shift in DDR processes from viewing gender as a challenge to treating it as an asset. It emphasizes that women are active combatants who gain skills and independence during conflict, while men can also be victims of violent masculinity and repressive regimes. The author argues that successful DDR requires increasing female participation in peace processes, 'disarming' violent masculinities, and accounting for the socio-economic and cultural contexts that affect reintegration.

• DDR processes frequently overlook women as active combatants, focusing instead on their roles as victims of gender-based violence. While this focus is necessary for transitional justice, it ignores the fact that many female fighters acquire "new skills acquired during conflict, and with more self-confidence and independence," which can serve as an asset for introducing new gender relation models in post-conflict societies.
• The document highlights a gap in DDR processes regarding male victims. Men are rarely portrayed as victims, yet they may suffer from violations by others or be victims of "repressive regimes" during obligatory military service. Addressing these experiences and the "disarming of masculinities" is presented as essential for the healing of both genders and the sustainability of the women, peace and security agenda.
• Female combatants are often excluded from DDR programs due to their low participation in peace negotiations. The author suggests that external mediators should facilitate the inclusion of female combatants in demobilization lists when their participation in peace processes is not possible, noting that best practices for this are primarily found in Latin America.
• The success of reintegration is heavily dependent on context. While political and socio-economic factors matter, cultural and religious contexts often hinder female ex-combatants who face societies that do not support their "aspirations for political participation and economic independence" after they have gained independence during war.
• In some contexts, such as Guatemala, female fighters may have positive identities associated with their time as soldiers. For these women, reintegrating into communities alongside other male and female ex-combatants can be a more effective alternative to ease the transition than reintegrating alone.
• The document notes that international actors should balance universal normative principles with traditional local values when planning DDR. It cites African feminists who utilize the concept of Ubuntu—meaning "interconnectiveness of each human being, consensus-building and solidarity"—as an example of a context-specific approach to gender and peacebuilding.

APA

Hauge, W. I. (2015). A New Perspective on Gender in DDR Processes. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e7a1409d-9833-4ffc-853f-1b676e361e15/Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Processes DDR The Gender Asset.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Hauge, Wenche Iren. A New Perspective on Gender in DDR Processes. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2015. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e7a1409d-9833-4ffc-853f-1b676e361e15/Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Processes DDR The Gender Asset.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hauge |first1=Wenche Iren |title=A New Perspective on Gender in DDR Processes |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2015 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e7a1409d-9833-4ffc-853f-1b676e361e15/Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Processes DDR The Gender Asset.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hauge2015new, author = {Hauge, Wenche Iren}, title = {{A New Perspective on Gender in DDR Processes}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2015}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e7a1409d-9833-4ffc-853f-1b676e361e15/Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Processes DDR The Gender Asset.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }