DDR and child soldier issues

Abstract

USAID supports the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Colombia through the Recruitment Prevention and Reintegration (RPR) Program. The RPR Program provides institutional strengthening for the Government of Colombia (GOC) to support legal, social and economic reintegration services to demobilized adults and disengaged children, as well as to prevent new recruitment. The GOC supports demobilized adults through its Colombian Reintegration Agency (ACR). The DDR initiatives of the ACR aim to fulfill the following objectives: 1) Create conditions for demobilized ex-combatants to become independent citizens, 2) Strengthen socio-economic conditions in receptor communities, and 3) Promote reconciliation. Children and adolescents who disengage from illegal armed groups, recognized as victims, receive special attention through programs and policies led by the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) through its Specialized Assistance Program, which aims to reestablish and guarantee rights with special emphasis on protection, education and health.