Final Report on Children’s Perceptions and Views on Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration (DDR). Lakes & Jonglei Regions, Southern Sudan

Final report based on the study  conducted by the Nile Agency for Documentation and Advocacy (NADA) with the support of Save the Children Sweden, on the phenomenon of child soldiering and Disarmament, Demobilization & Reintegration (DRR) in the Lakes & Jonglei Regions of Southern Sudan (March-June 2005).  

The need to gain more knowledge about how children perceived or viewed the DDR-related process led to do this survey, and the findings are aimed to help those involved in the  planning, design and implementation of DRR-projects and programmes, to  increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the programmes in the future. The main objective of this report is to document children’s views on issues related to the DDR-process. It sheds light on the existing gaps and outlines children’s proposals to bridge these gaps to improve the process. The report  captures the lessons learnt by children during their enrolment as soldiers and the greatest strengths derived from their experience; things that affected them negatively that they could avoid in the future; if their perception regarding conflict resolution  changed after joining the war; what they think of the availability of weapons in the community, etc.

Although the study was concentrated or focused on children, other stakeholders were engaged, such as parents, teachers, chiefs and traditional leaders and healers.  Soldiers and commanders were also interviewed to give their views on issues of DDR, to help  draw up plans, programmes and activities based on the survey results.