United Nations Approach to DDR [UNV.2023.009]
The United Nations Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards (UN IDDRS) bring together knowledge, lessons learned and good practices on a wide range of issues from concepts, policies and strategies to programme planning, design, management, and monitoring and evaluation. In addition to outlining the basics of each phase of DDR, the IDDRS offers detailed guidance on key issues, such as information and sensitization, food aid and food security, women and gender, children and youth, health and HIV/AIDS and important linkages with other peacebuilding processes.
The IDDRS have provided direction and guidance to those engaged in preparing, implementing and supporting DDR programmes for more than a decade. However, heightened political and security challenges and realities in settings where peace operations deploy, as well as increasing request for DDR support in special political missions and non-mission settings, required new guidance and a revision of the IDDRS and the UN approach to DDR. The revised IDDRS aims to guide practitioners operating in new conflict contexts. These contexts are those in which the preconditions of DDR are not in place and where these political and security challenges arise, such as: proliferation of armed groups, lack of peace agreements, presence of violent extremism and regional armed groups dynamics.
The goal of the course is to provide participants with key knowledge on the United Nations approach to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) guiding them through an interactive, practical and engaging overview of the Integrated DDR Standards, familiarizing them with its various components.
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Define DDR concepts and identify relevant policies and strategies, including the United Nations integrated approach to DDR;
- Describe key elements of the 2019/2020 revision of the Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS);
- Describe integrated DDR planning and programme design;
- Analyse DDR operations, programmes and support activities, more specifically the processes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration;
- Integrate cross-cutting issues pertinent to DDR policies and strategies into DDR policies and strategies;
- Link DDR programmes with other peace-building processes.
The course is structured in the following six modules.
Module 0 | IDDRS Revision and New UN Approach to DDR
This module introduces the revision of the IDDRS and the new elements in the UN Approach to DDR. It also describes the differences in the implementation of DDR in traditional and non-traditional settings, as well as introducing the concepts of DDR-related tools.
Module 1 | Introduction to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
Module 1 is an introduction to the concepts of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration. It also describes the contexts in which DDR occurs and distinguishes between DDR participants, beneficiaries, and partners.
Module 2 | Disarmament and Demobilization
The module introduces the concepts of disarmament and demobilization, analyses the linkages between small arms and light weapons control and disarmament, and examines the role of reinsertion in bridging the gap between demobilization and reintegration.
Module 3 | Reintegration
In module 3 the participant can examine the concept of reintegration and analyse key features of different types of reintegration.
Module 4 | Specific needs groups
This module is an introduction to DDR strategies for groups with specific needs and it analyses how specific needs are integrated into the framework of DDR processes.
Module 5 | Linkages with relevant issues and processes
Module 5 distinguishes specific issues and processes linked with DDR. For each issue or process, it explains the rationale of linkages and provides details on how to integrate them into DDR processes
This self-paced course is based on several interactive learning components that, through various visualisation techniques, facilitates the understanding of difficult theoretical complex. The course includes videos and online resources to meet its objectives.
The course is suitable for anyone interested in the processes of disarmament and demobilization - including practitioners working in post-conflict contexts, field workers, and international volunteers - but has limited or no experience or knowledge on DDR.
UNITAR recommends the following as a minimum in hardware and software to take our e-Learning courses. Please consult your Network Administrator or Systems person to ensure that you have the following:
Hardware requirements
- Desktop or laptop computer with Windows 10 or MacOS version 11 and later
- Tablet or mobile devices are not fully supported on some course tools
- Stable LAN or Wifi Internet connection
Browser
- Latest version of Mozilla Firefox (download for free at https://www.mozilla.org)
- Latest version of Google Chrome (download for free at https://www.google.com/chrome)
- Microsoft Edge or Safari (included in your computer)
Other software
- PDF reader (download for free at https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader)
- Microsoft Office for Windows or MacOS (compatible software can be downloaded at http://www.openoffice.org/)
- Video player (Quicktime for MacOS, Windows Media Player or compatible video player)
- Anti-virus
Other requirements
- Disable Pop-up blockers
- Enable cookies and java
- webcam and audio headset for courses that will require online meetings
- additional storage in case you need to download course materials