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Rethinking theories of change in DDR programs

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Unpopular capital interventions deserve a chance

Aligning the aims of reintegration and the best means to achieve them

Theories of change in demobilization and reintegration programs

Current Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs are often based on ill-defined underlying assumptions about change and fall short when meeting the realities of war and peacebuilding. A thorough mapping of the underlying assumptions about change would enable better and more efficient DDR programs to be devised.

This brief proposes a three pronged strategy:

  1. Experiment with cash/capital-centred interventions in DDR programs.

  2. Do not focus solely on skills and vocational training as a reintegration approach.

  3. Integrate an explicit approach to underlying assumptions about change into the early phases of DDR program design to establish a clear alignment between the aims of reintegration and the best means available to achieve them