When children affected by war go home – Lessons learned from Liberia

In a number of conflicts around the world children become associated with armed forces as fighters, and also in a range of other roles, such as porters, cooks and guides, as well as for sexual purposes. This report looks at young people in Liberia who had been associated with armed forces. The research required three months of field work and took place in 2000. It followed the experiences of children and young people who had been involved in the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process that took place over a period of two-and-a-half months from late 1996 through to early 1997. Through in-depth interviews with young people, their families and communities, this report seeks to address the question,”who fared best and why?”