Gender Dimensions of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)

The document provides a structured review of literature concerning the gendered aspects of DDR. It highlights a systemic tendency to view women primarily as victims or 'camp followers' rather than active combatants, which leads to their exclusion from DDR benefits. It also examines how hegemonic masculinity drives violence and how the lack of gender-sensitive planning in post-conflict settings—such as in Aceh or Sierra Leone—marginalizes female ex-fighters. Conversely, it notes more inclusive patterns in Latin American peace processes, such as those in Colombia and El Salvador.

• DDR processes frequently exclude female combatants by 'desecuritizing' them, categorizing them as non-security concerns (such as wives or sex slaves) to prioritize the reintegration of men to prevent a recurrence of violence.
• In the Aceh conflict, the Inong Balee Battalion, consisting of approximately 500 women who underwent combat training and provided logistical and intelligence support, was entirely excluded from the DDR process because they were not listed in the peace agreement.
• In Sierra Leone, girls constituted 25 percent of child soldiers and 8 percent of total fighters, yet they were largely ignored by the international community and excluded from DDR programs due to narratives that view women as biologically pacifist.
• Latin American peace processes, specifically in Colombia and El Salvador, have shown a more inclusive approach to recognizing women as active combatants and providing them with political opportunities post-conflict.
• The 'political economy' of DDR often privileges men for labor market employment based on the assumption that male 'idleness' leads to instability, whereas women are assumed to be natural family caretakers.
• Militarized masculinity is often shaped by a lack of economic opportunity, where physical force and weapon proficiency become the only 'bodily capital' men can trade in the labor market, driving them toward violent groups.
• Transitional justice processes often fail women because gender-related crimes are not prioritized by bodies like the International Criminal Court, and women are frequently excluded from the peace treaties that initiate these processes.
• In Guatemala, female ex-fighters who reintegrated into cooperatives with fellow combatants showed higher levels of social and political activity than those who reintegrated individually, suggesting that group identity is a key asset for sustainability.
• In Nepal, female combatants in Maoist cantonments faced isolation and discontent when regulations forced pregnant women or mothers of children under three to stay outside the camps to avoid 'refugee camp' conditions.

APA

Hauge, W. I. (2016). Gender Dimensions of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2561011-c64f-477f-b1ef-375d393a6ccf/Hauge - Gender Dimensions of DDR PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Hauge, Wenche Iren. Gender Dimensions of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2016. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2561011-c64f-477f-b1ef-375d393a6ccf/Hauge - Gender Dimensions of DDR PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hauge |first1=Wenche Iren |title=Gender Dimensions of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2016 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2561011-c64f-477f-b1ef-375d393a6ccf/Hauge - Gender Dimensions of DDR PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hauge2016gender, author = {Hauge, Wenche Iren}, title = {{Gender Dimensions of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2016}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/e2561011-c64f-477f-b1ef-375d393a6ccf/Hauge - Gender Dimensions of DDR PRIO Paper 2016.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }