Whilst the role of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programs was to neutralize armed groups and restore sustainable stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the proliferation of armed groups witnessed between 2013 and 2018 in the Kivu region interrogate the efficacy of implemented DDR programs. The DRC faces serious setbacks in terms of socio-economic and political development due to the presence of many armed groups oscillating in the eastern parts of the country, particularly the Kivu region. This situation poses peace and security problems not for the DRC alone but for the Great Lakes region. To stabilize this region, the DRC government and its International partners employed DDR programs as mechanisms to neutralize armed groups and reinstate sustainable peace and security. However, despite these efforts, there has been a rapid increase of non-state armed groups between 2013 and 2018 and an increase in violence against civilians leading to the displacement of millions of people. This study investigates the dynamics of various factors behind the creation of armed groups, their proliferation and resistance to DDR programs. The study reveals that there have been long grievances and unresolved crises behind armed groups’ resistance in the Kivu region including ethnic antagonism and resentment between autochthonous citizens and Kinyarwanda speakers; and the socio-economic deprivation, hardship of life and feeling of marginalization by the central government. This dissertation delineates better approaches to address the problem of armed groups and succeed in future DDR programs such as the establishment of a long-term reconciliation mechanism to address ethnic resentment created by war within communities in the Kivu region; and a national development plan guaranteeing socio-economic opportunities (income generating activities) to citizens in the Kivu region. This study uses a qualitative research approach to investigate the dynamics of non-state armed groups and disarmament challenges in the DRC. / Dissertation (MA (Political Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Mastercard Scholarship foundation / Political Sciences / MA (Political Sciences) / Unrestricted

Liberia emerged from 14 years of brutal civil conflict, demobilized and “reintegrated” large numbers of ex-combatants, but there are still concerns about ex-combatants’ re-engagement in violence. Yet, adequate knowledge and empirical evidence about this are still sketchy. Qualitative fieldwork among ex-combatants conducted in five locations in Monrovia from 2012-2013, suggests that ex-combatants are re-marginalized. This research presents excombatants’ current status, their re-marginalization, and factors indicative of their re-engagement in violence in post-conflict Liberia. The study contends that ex-combatants were apparently not satisfied with the outcome of the DDRR programme, as it failed to reintegrate them successfully. The study developed a four dimensional analytical framework that includes, (a) re-marginalization (b) re-criminalization (c) exploitation, and (d) economic insecurity, which are then applied to the outcome of the reintegration of ex-combatants in Liberia. On the basis of the data collected in fieldwork, the analytical framework reveals how these factors and dynamics interacted and facilitated the occurrence of violence. The study argues that an awareness of ex-combatants’ vulnerability and re-marginalization should put state actors in a position to better predict their violent inclinations. It further notes that ex-combatant re-engagement in violence is largely manifested at the political and economic levels and this has the potential to lead to a renewed conflict if not mitigated. This study by no means completes the tasks of research and analysis on violence and excombatants, but it outlines theoretical propositions and conclusions, which can hopefully spark further debate and collective efforts among researchers to push this field of study forward.

Liberia emerged from 14 years of brutal civil conflict, demobilized and “reintegrated” large numbers of ex-combatants, but there are still concerns about ex-combatants’ re-engagement in violence. Yet, adequate knowledge and empirical evidence about this are still sketchy. Qualitative fieldwork among ex-combatants conducted in five locations in Monrovia from 2012-2013, suggests that ex-combatants are re-marginalized. This research presents excombatants’ current status, their re-marginalization, and factors indicative of their re-engagement in violence in post-conflict Liberia. The study contends that ex-combatants were apparently not satisfied with the outcome of the DDRR programme, as it failed to reintegrate them successfully. The study developed a four dimensional analytical framework that includes, (a) re-marginalization (b) re-criminalization (c) exploitation, and (d) economic insecurity, which are then applied to the outcome of the reintegration of ex-combatants in Liberia. On the basis of the data collected in fieldwork, the analytical framework reveals how these factors and dynamics interacted and facilitated the occurrence of violence. The study argues that an awareness of ex-combatants’ vulnerability and re-marginalization should put state actors in a position to better predict their violent inclinations. It further notes that ex-combatant re-engagement in violence is largely manifested at the political and economic levels and this has the potential to lead to a renewed conflict if not mitigated. This study by no means completes the tasks of research and analysis on violence and excombatants, but it outlines theoretical propositions and conclusions, which can hopefully spark further debate and collective efforts among researchers to push this field of study forward.

Purpose: The overarching purpose of this research paper is to broaden the understanding of the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficking victims by illustrating and explaining common rehabilitation and reintegration processes of Burmese trafficking victims, girls and women, in Yangon, Myanmar. As part of that overarching purpose, this paper also aims to analyse how and if the victims’ human rights are being properly upheld. The paper highlights the problem of the state’s actions of upholding human security and the right to possess protection against modern slavery, with specific focus on trafficked girls or women as right holders and the state (in this case Myanmar) together with non-state responsibility-holders as duty bearers. Method: The paper is based on data derived from a field study, with the empirical material gathered through walk-along at a trafficking shelter and semi-structured interviews with several NGOs, IGOs and other actors and in Yangon, Myanmar. Analysis: In Myanmar there is a lack of shelter space and not enough focus on the long-lasting impact of trauma in a trafficked person's life. A majority of trafficking victims that escape from trafficking situations are placed in shelters operated by the Department of Social Welfare (DSW-shelters) for a few days before being repatriated to their families and/or home community. This method, i.e., the repatriation of victims to their respective home community, is cost efficient, but not always in the best interest of the victims as it increases the risk of re-trafficking. Some victims are offered help from reintegration programs where vocational training is a common component, but little other effort is made to rehabilitate the victim from their psychological trauma. Many victims that seek restorative justice within the court system do not enjoy a fair trial, as procedures are unclear, and corruption is common amongst both judges and prosecutors. The lack of restorative justice is another factor that hinders the victims rehabilitating from their trauma as it decreases the chance to fully reintegrating the victims into society on a long-term basis. Finally, the enforcement of anti-trafficking laws is weakened by the fact that the Myanmar Anti-Trafficking Police Force is understaffed, undereducated and overworked.

The diploma thesis is focused on socio-pedagogical means of assistance to the homeless which is provided by social facilities in the Czech Republic in the process of their reintegration. The goal of the thesis is to ascertain, describe and analyse the possibilities of socio-pedagogical assistance to the homeless. The thesis has theoretical-empirical character. In the theoretical part, I concentrate on the topic of homelessness, public housing, system of assistance for the homeless where I mention two approaches of supported living: Housing Ready and Housing First. Other topics include social difficulties and social reintegration of the homeless, social pedagogy and socio-pedagogical means of assistance to the homeless where social rehabilitation, community work and social entrepreneurship belong. The empirical part is devoted to a research. With the usage of semi-structured interviews, this research examines which means of socio-pedagogical assistance to the homeless are used in the process of their social reintegration and how both parties reflect on its usefulness. The interviews were carried out by the clients of the facilities offering socio- pedagogical assistance and the workers who offer this assistance to them. The main findings include that on their reintegration, the homeless deal with a...