“Nobody Listens to Us”: Minors in DDR Processes – The Gender Dimension

The report argues that UN IDDRS recommendations—specifically the separation of minors from adult soldiers and the insistence on family reunification—often fail to account for gender and conflict context, potentially causing trauma and socio-economic hardship. Through case studies of FARC-EP in Colombia and the PLA in Nepal, the author finds that many minors joined voluntarily to escape poverty or violence and experienced high levels of gender equality within the armed groups, which contrasted sharply with the traditional, 'machista' or caste-based societies they returned to. The report concludes that minors' agency is frequently neglected by international and state actors, and recommends a more flexible, context-specific approach to DDR that prioritizes the minors' own choices and needs.

• A significant majority of the interviewed minors in both Colombia and Nepal joined their respective armed groups voluntarily, often to escape poverty, marginalization, or family persecution, contradicting the common assumption that most child soldiers are victims of forced recruitment.
• Minors in both FARC-EP and the PLA reported experiencing high levels of gender equality and a lack of discrimination within the armed groups, including strict sanctions against rape and gender-based violence.
• The mandatory separation of minors from adult soldiers during the DDR process was experienced by most as a traumatic and shocking event, as many minors felt a stronger bond and trust with their comrades than with state or international institutions.
• Family reunification and return to local communities often failed, as returning minors faced stigmatization, security threats from other armed groups, and a lack of educational or economic opportunities.
• Female minors faced more severe challenges upon reintegration, including increased stigmatization and the pressure to return to traditional, subordinate gender roles after experiencing equality in the armed groups.
• In Nepal, the use of the label 'disqualified' for minors during the verification process had a profound negative psychological impact, creating feelings of shame and worthlessness.
• The report highlights a systemic failure by the UN, international organizations, and national authorities to listen to the agency and opinions of minors during the DDR process.

APA

Hauge, W. I. (2021). “Nobody Listens to Us”: Minors in DDR Processes – The Gender Dimension. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/18206961-218b-44c9-811d-5c67b5486e95/Hauge - Nobody Listens to Us - Minors in DDR Processes - The Gender Dimension PRIO Paper 2021.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Hauge, Wenche Iren. “Nobody Listens to Us”: Minors in DDR Processes – The Gender Dimension. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2021. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/18206961-218b-44c9-811d-5c67b5486e95/Hauge - Nobody Listens to Us - Minors in DDR Processes - The Gender Dimension PRIO Paper 2021.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hauge |first1=Wenche Iren |title=“Nobody Listens to Us”: Minors in DDR Processes – The Gender Dimension |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2021 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/18206961-218b-44c9-811d-5c67b5486e95/Hauge - Nobody Listens to Us - Minors in DDR Processes - The Gender Dimension PRIO Paper 2021.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hauge2021nobody, author = {Hauge, Wenche Iren}, title = {{“Nobody Listens to Us”: Minors in DDR Processes – The Gender Dimension}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2021}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/18206961-218b-44c9-811d-5c67b5486e95/Hauge - Nobody Listens to Us - Minors in DDR Processes - The Gender Dimension PRIO Paper 2021.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }