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Introduction to Integrated DDR Standards

Background

Since the late 1980s, the United Nations (UN) has increasingly been called upon to support the implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes in countries emerging from conflict. In a peacekeeping context, this trend has been part of a move towards complex operations that seek to deal with a wide variety of issues ranging from security to human rights, rule of law, elections and economic governance, rather than traditional peacekeeping where two warring parties were separated by a ceasefire line patrolled by blue-helmeted soldiers.

The changed nature of peacekeeping and post-conflict recovery strategies requires close coordination among UN departments, agencies, funds and programmes. In the past five years alone, DDR has been included in the mandates for multidimensional peacekeeping operations in Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Liberia and Sudan. Simultaneously, the UN has increased its DDR engagement in non-peacekeeping contexts, namely in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the Congo, Indonesia (Aceh), Niger, Somalia, Solomon Islands and Uganda.

While the UN has acquired significant experience in the planning and management of DDR programmes, it has yet to establish a collective approach to DDR, or clear and usable policies and guidelines to facilitate coordination and cooperation among UN agencies, departments and programmes. This has resulted in poor coordination and planning and gaps in the implementation of DDR programmes

Towards a common UN approach to DDR

In response to this fragmented approach, six UN agencies, departments, funds and programmes came together in 2004 to draft a series of integrated DDR standards (IDDRS), i.e., a set of policies, guidelines and procedures for UN-supported DDR programmes in a peacekeeping context. Following workshop discussions and extensive consultations with country-level practitioners from the UN, member states, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and the World Bank, the IDDRS were further developed and a second draft was tested in 2005.

The Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR, which was formally established by the Executive Committee on Peace and Security in March 2005 with a mandate to improve the UN performance in DDR, now counts 15 UN departments, agencies, funds and programmes as its members.i This first edition of the IDDRS has been jointly developed and approved by all 15 Working Group members.

What is DDR?

The objective of the DDR process is to contribute to security and stability in post-conflict environments so that recovery and development can begin. The DDR of ex-combatants is a complex process, with political, military, security, humanitarian and socio-economic dimensions. It aims to deal with the post-conflict security problem that arises when ex-combatants are left without livelihoods or support networks, other than their former comrades, during the vital transition period from conflict to peace and development. Through a process of removing weapons from the hands of combatants, taking the combatants out of military structures and helping them to integrate socially and economically into society, DDR seeks to support ex-combatants so that they can become active participants in the peace process.

In this regard, DDR lays the groundwork for safeguarding and sustaining the communities in which these individuals can live as law-abiding citizens, while building national capacity for long-term peace, security and development. It is important to note that DDR alone cannot resolve conflict or prevent violence; it can, however, help establish a secure environment so that other elements of a recovery and peace-building strategy can proceed.

The official UN definition of each of the stages of DDR is as follows:2

The integrated DDR standards

The IDDRS have been drafted on the basis of lessons and best practices drawn from the experience of all the departments, agencies, funds and programmes involved to provide the UN system with a set of policies, guidelines and procedures for the planning, implementation and monitoring of DDR programmes in a peacekeeping context. While the IDDRS were designed with peacekeeping contexts in mind, much of the guidance contained within these standards will also be applicable for non-peacekeeping contexts.

The three main aims of the IDDRS are:

to give DDR practitioners the opportunity to make informed decisions based on a clear, flexible and in-depth body of guidance across the range of DDR activities;

to serve as a common foundation for the commencement of integrated operational planning in Headquarters and at the country level;

to function as a resource for the training of DDR specialists.

IDDRS levels and modules

The standards consist of 26 modules divided into five levels:

Level one consists of the introduction and a glossary to the full IDDRS;

Level two sets out the strategic concepts of an integrated approach to DDR in a peacekeeping context;

Level three elaborates on the structures and processes for planning and implementation of DDR at Headquarters and in the field;

Level four provides considerations, options and tools for carrying out DDR operations;

Level five covers the UN approach to essential cross-cutting issues, such as gender, youth and children associated with the armed forces and groups, cross-border movements, food assistance, HIV/AIDS and health.

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Technical language

The UN uses the concept and abbreviation ‘DDR’ as an all-inclusive term that includes related activities, such as repatriation, rehabilitation and reconciliation, that aim to achieve sustainable reintegration.

Following a summary, a table of contents and a description of the scope and objectives, each IDDRS module also contains a section on terms, definitions and abbreviations. In the IDDRS series, the words ‘shall’, ‘should’ and ‘may’ are used to indicate the intended degree of compliance with the standards laid down. This use is consistent with the language used in the International Organization for Standardizationiii standards and guidelines:

“a) ‘shall’ is used to indicate requirements, methods or specifications that are to be applied in order to conform to the standard;

b) ‘should’ is used to indicate the preferred requirements, methods or specifications; and

c) ‘may’ is used to indicate a possible method or course of action.”

A comprehensive list of terms and definitions used in the IDDRS is provided in IDDRS 1.20.

How to use the IDDRS

Each IDDRS module is intended to serve both as part of the overall IDDRS framework and as a freestanding document. In the published version of the IDDRS, all modules are therefore collected in a ring-binder so that they can easily be taken out and used separately.

Since the topics covered in the different modules are interlinked, cross-references are provided throughout the IDDRS where more information on a particular issue can be found in another IDDRS module. Cross-references are clearly marked in the margins of the text.

Supplementary publications and resources

The Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR has published two supplementary publications to the IDDRS: the Operational Guide to the IDDRS and the DDR Briefing Note for Senior Managers. The Operational Guide is intended to help users navigate the IDDRS by briefly outlining the key guidance in each module. The Briefing Note for Senior Managers is intended to facilitate managerial decisions and includes key strategic considerations and their policy implications. Both these publications are available at the UN DDR Resource Centre (http://www.unddr.org), which serves as an online platform on DDR and includes regular updates of both the IDDRS and the Operational Guide, a document database, training tools, a photo library and video clips.

Updates and feedback

Each IDDRS module is current with effect from the date shown on the cover page. As the IDDRS are periodically reviewed, users should consult the UN DDR Resource Centre Web site for updates: http://www.unddr.org.

Feedback and comments on the IDDRS are actively encouraged and should be sent to the Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Working Group via the DDR Resource Centre Web site.