Press releases
Revision of the United Nations Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards (IDDRS) \ Workshop to finalize guidance on reintegration
In the frame of a project commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) is currently supporting the revision of the United Nations Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards (IDDRS), originally published by the UN Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR (IAWG) in 2006. In the context of this ongoing revision process, which was initiated in 2017 by the IAWG, a workshop was held in Bonn, Germany, from 26-28 March 2019 to finalize the development and revision of new and existing guidance on the reintegration component of DDR.
The IDDRS represent the agreed policies and procedures of the United Nations for preparing, executing and monitoring disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). The workshop in Bonn was co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and BICC. It gathered members of the IAWG, donors, researchers, and representatives of civil society organizations in order to collect contributions from a wide range of experienced stakeholders on the relevance, usefulness and application of the guidance for reintegration support. It followed previous discussions held during a workshop in Stockholm in 2018 throughout the course of which the content of new and revised IDDRS modules was validated and an evidence-based approach for the finalization of all reintegration modules was established.
The Bonn workshop participants discussed the implications for reintegration support in those contexts where the preconditions for DDR programmes are absent (e.g. instances where there is no formal peace agreement). It was recognized that in settings without peace agreements it will be necessary to establish alternative political-operational frameworks for DDR. It was also acknowledged that support to reintegration in contexts of ongoing conflict presents unique challenges, particularly in terms of security. The workshop recommendations will inform the final revision of those IDDRS modules that deal with reintegration.
The Bonn workshop participants discussed the implications for reintegration support in those contexts where the preconditions for DDR programmes are absent (e.g. instances where there is no formal peace agreement). It was recognized that in settings without peace agreements it will be necessary to establish alternative political-operational frameworks for DDR. It was also acknowledged that support to reintegration in contexts of ongoing conflict presents unique challenges, particularly in terms of security. The workshop recommendations will inform the final revision of those IDDRS modules that deal with reintegration.