Kinshasa, 4 March 2009 - MONUC's Child protection section continues its efforts to demobilize children associated with armed forces and groups. Thus, in North Kivu province, for the period 30 January to 2 March 2009, a total of 880 children left the ranks of the armed groups: 839 boys and 41 girls. Among this number, there were 31 Rwandans, two Burundians and two Ugandans.

All these children were given to specialist NGOs for reintegration with their families and communities.

In this operation, MONUC's Child protection section benefited from the co-operation of the Military Integration Structure (SNI) and that of the National plan of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (PNDDR).