Reaching the Girls. Study on Girls Associated with Armed Forces and Groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This study analyses the situation of girls associated with armed forces and groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and seeks to understand the highly complex issues surrounding the release and reintegration process of girls associated with armed groups. Thousands of girls have been recruited and used by armed forces and groups during and after the armed conflict initiated in 1998. The study concludes that only a minority of girls will be reached through the formal processes of “DDR” – disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. The military-oriented conception of DDR rather contributes to the obstacles in achieving the release of girls. Reaching girls associated with armed groups requires a prioritisation of community-based approaches that address social conceptions and attitudes about girls used by armed groups.