Goma, 13 November 2009 - MONUC’s Disarmament, Demobilisation, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR) section has been encouraged to do more to incorporate gender and child protection issues into their work, in particular relating to the provision of facilities provided by DDRRR to cater for children at the transit centre in Goma. The announcement was made on 10 November 2009 by consultant Joana Foster (on Gender, Women, and DDR) from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) during a one day visit to the DDRRR transit camp in Goma in North Kivu province.
In practical terms, DDRRR staff are already gender sensitive. Ex-combatants brought to the various reception sites in the field and transit centre in Goma are categorized and given humane treatment. Tents are particularly arranged for couples, single individuals, pregnant women, and child soldiers.
Ms. Joana Foster said that leaders and decision makers should play a significant role in ensuring that the gender aspects of DDRRR are critically taken into consideration, stressing that everything should start at the demobilization sites where eligibility criteria (especially for Congolese ex-combatants) must be properly coordinated.
“Women should be demobilised and their names put on the list if they were fighting”, she emphasized.
During a three hour discussion with DDRRR staff, Ms. Foster explained the importance of gender and its impact on DDRRR operations and activities, and that gender should be prioritised.
Initially, many local staff were baffled about the theoretical concept of gender and its involvement in DDRRR work. However, it turned out that they had already incorporated gender issues into their work, in particular at the Goma transit camp.
Several suggestions were then put forward including the training of staff on the theoretical concepts of gender and DDRRR, to improve the gender consciousness of the staff so that they can apply the concepts into their daily work.
Earlier the DDR Desk Officer in New York Bruno Donat praised the work of DDRRR, and said that DPKO expressed profound gratitude regarding the efficiency and productivity of the section, making specific reference to the increased number of ex-combatants repatriated in the last few months. The DDRRR Director was particularly singled out for his managerial role in keeping the team together.
Mr. Donat added that the work of DDRRR in the DR Congo is now being recognised in New York, and that more consultants would be put at the disposal of DDRRR in order to enhance their work, especially to identify and break up the FDLR rebel recruitment cells. He encouraged the section to keep collaborating with various agencies, in particular UNHCR in order to enhance their efficiency and results on the ground.