Ex-combatants in South Sudan

project summary

This project explores the socio-economic effects of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration programs for ex-combatants in fragile post-conflict situations.  The aim of the project is to determine empirically whether the provision of socio-economic activities serve as a tool for converting combatants into peaceable civilians and thereby reducing armed violence and securing peace. The outcomes of socio economic reintegration efforts will be analyzed at the level of:  a) livelihoods and income, b) access to land, credit and housing, and c) increased levels of security. The project will examine the practical effects of socio-economic reintegration in the rapidly growing urban center of Juba, capital of South Sudan. Reintegration programs are central in current peace processes and constitute a key component in stabilizing countries emmerging from war with considerable resources channeled into these efforts. DDR efforts are a prime example of the coalescence of development and security policies (Duffield 2001). Most international donors and organizations assume that there are direct linkages between ex-combatant reintegration through the provision of alternatives to “violent livelihoods”, for example through job creation, and a reduction of armed violence (ILO 2010). However, the empirical evidence for this assumption is lacking Thus there is a worrying gap between effort, expectations and evidence, which this research project seeks to adress.