Background

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) calls for the Demobilization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) of former combatants and special groups, and the promotion of community security and arms control. The objective of the DDR process as a whole is to contribute to creating an enabling environment for human security, and to support post-peace-agreement social stabilization across the Sudan, particularly in war affected areas.

The UN Security Council Resolution 1590 (2005) defined in these terms the UN Mission in Sudan’s (UNMIS) mandate in support of the DDR process: “To assist in the establishment of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme as called for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, with particular attention to the special needs of women and child combatants, and its implementation through voluntary disarmament and weapons collection and destruction.”
To support the northern and southern DDR commissions that are responsible for implementing the DDR process in the country, an Interim DDR Programme (IDDRP) was launched in January 2006, with the support of the European Commission, the Government of Japan and the Government of Canada. Carried out by UNMIS, UNICEF and UNDP, this interagency programme takes place within a comprehensive process of national reconciliation throughout the country, as part of the peace and confidence building measures.

Since the signing of the CPA, the UNDP-implemented portion of the Interim Demobilization Disarmament and Reintegration Programme, which was designed initially to support the preliminary process, was extended to further build the capacity of the National Interim DDR Authorities (north and south), establish offices and support various DDR planning processes.

Objectives
The main objective is to establish and build the capacity of the DDR institutions and civil society, while initiating basic DDR processes for selected priority target groups.

The IDDRP has the following specific objectives:

•To establish and build the capacities of institutions.
• To develop the Reintegration Programme for Special Needs Groups and other target groups.
• Demobilize, reinsert and reintegrate special needs groups, Women Associated with Armed Forces and Groups (WAAFG), Children Affected with Armed Forces Groups (CAAFG) and soldiers with physical and psychological disabilities.
• Preparations for formal (multi-year) DDR and Security Sector Reform (SSR).
• Develop and link policies for SSR.
• Support pre-registration and development of screening mechanisms.
• Develop formal (multi-year) DDR Programme – DDR Phase I.

Snapshots of the project's major achievements
Despite significant challenges, much progress has been made under the IDDRP towards implementing DDR in accordance with the CPA and Security Council resolution 1590 (2005).
• The NSSDDRC, SSDDRC, SAF and SPLA, pre-registered approximately 50,000 candidates with support from the UNDDRU.
• In depth reintegration opportunities mapping has been carried out in 17 states (2006 to 2008) and will continue on an ongoing basis to informing planning. A detailed HIV Referral Services Mapping was undertaken in early 2007 in 22 states, which will allow state commission offices and IPs to refer participants to voluntary HIV testing and treatment services.
• Two reintegration pilot projects were carried out in Khartoum for 50 disabled ex-combatants and 52 WAAFG who were demobilized in 2006. The projects were implemented by national NGOs with close technical support from the NSDDRC and IUNDDRU.
• The DREAM database, which will assist the commissions to plan, monitor and evaluate reintegration, has been designed.
• Two HIV Peer Educators Trainings for SAF and one HIV Peer Educators and one VCT Counselor’s Trainings for SPLA were carried out.
• HIV briefing session and handout materials were prepared for use at the DD site. Materials have been translated into Arabic and approved by the NSDDRC and Sudanese National AIDS Programme (SNAP).
• The Hakamas, a group of women singers who used to sing to encourage fighting in the Nuba Mountains,were in peace education in communities across Southern Kordofan and in Nuba IDP camps in Khartoum. The Hakamas project successfully completed two phases, the latter of which provided the Hakamas with livelihood support to encourage them to continue their peacebuilding activities.
• The UNDDRU supported the NSDDRC to carry out pre-registration and verification exercises for WAAFG in South Kordofan, Khartoum and Blue Nile States.
• In Akobo and Pibor counties in Jonglei State, approximately 3,000 weapons were collected in civilian disarmament exercises.
• Community Security Threat Mapping was conducted in South Kordofan State.
• Community security projects focusing on mediation and reconciliation were implemented in South Kordofan State, Blue Nile State and Khartoum State.
• The IUNDDRU has supported capacity building for the N/SSDDRC through the organization of several in-country trainings, by sending N/SSDDRC staff to international DDR training opportunities and through ongoing on-the-job mentoring. The IDDRP also supported the renovation of joint North and South DDR Commission offices in the Three Transitional Areas.