The NEWS (Monrovia)
28 March 2008
Monrovia — A research conducted by the London based Amnesty International (AI) into the DDRR process has revealed flaws in the process, citing that women and girls were discriminated.
The research, which was conducted last year in collaboration with local partners, cited several areas in which the DDRR process focused more on male combatants rather than women and girls who also took part in the Liberian conflict.
AI's Africa Programme Campaigner, Beshir Ayodele Ameen, said during the research it was discovered that the DDRR process was tailored toward male fighters, and did not consider the gender impact.
He said the DDRR process should also take cognizance of the needs of women and girls combatants.
"This is a contradiction to the Secretary General's Report on DDRR process that is putting the DDRR together; you must be cognizant of the special needs of women and girls who were also involved in the conflict," Ameen told reporters Thursday.
During the research, he said they met some female combatants who did not go through the DDRR process.
According to Ameen, the research discovered how women and girls who went through disarmament did not go through demobilization; those who went through demobilization did not go through rehabilitation, and those who went through rehabilitation did not go through reintegration process.
He also observed that skills building education did not take into consideration the specific needs of women.
"We want this to be known because we strongly believe if it is known, the Government of Liberia would do something about it," Ameen stressed.
He indicated that similar thing occurred in Sierra Leone following the DDRR process in that country.
We need to encourage the gender approach despite the flaws in the DDRR process, Liberian women are trying as hard as they can to reintegrate themselves into the society, the AI Campaigner said.
According to him, AI's report on the research conducted last year would be released Saturday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS). During the program, there would be a film screen to indicate some of the flaws in the DDRR process.
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