‘Third generation’ DDR and perpetual gendered barriers in Sierra Leone and Colombia

This article explores how ‘third generation’ disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) processes are positioned by policymaking international institutions in terms of their accessibility to female ex-combatants. Contrasting this with the lived experiences of female ex-combatants in Sierra Leone and Colombia, illuminates areas of strength and weakness in terms of how female ex-combatants are able to access necessary resources through internationally-coordinated and locally-driven systems. Historically, women have been marginalised from DDR for a number of reasons, namely a lack of understanding of the multiple, coinciding roles they play in conflict, including as perpetrators of violence. While ‘third generation’ DDR is theoretically positioned closer to ex-combatants, encouraging closer coordination and capacity building between female ex-combatants and practitioners, women’s experiences suggest that the application of such principles has not truly facilitated the attribution of more appropriate, targeted support for women.