While aspects of each part of the M & E process are important , the case of Liberia highlights the ways in which integrating an information system early into the process can be crucial to the actual results .
Fourteen years of violent conflict in Liberia officially ceased in August 2003 when former warring factions signed a peace agreement . In support of this agreement , the UN Mission in Liberia ( UNMIL ) was established in September 2003 to support a Disarmament , Demobilization , Reintegration , and Rehabilitation ( DDRR ) process . A 2007 UN Secretary General report estimated that some 90,000 excombatants participated in the program , to include 63,000 in reintegration opportunities .
By the time the Liberia DDR program officially began in December 2003 , the program had prepared a Disarmament ( D1 ) form to collect personal combatant data and weapons information . However , according to the UNDP , the DDR program had not yet launched a Management Information System ( MIS ). Combatants who initially registered in the Liberia DDR program received yellow duplicate copies of the D1 form . These yellow copies were intended to be temporary receipts until distribution of official demobilization cards . However , many ex-combatants sold or gave away their yellow forms . Others with multiple weapons disarmed several times in order to collect multiple forms . Without a fully functional MIS , there was not enough biometric or photographic evidence to prevent such repeat registrations .
In addition to this lack of accountability , there were also unmet expectations . Each combatant who turned in his / her weapons was supposed to receive $ 300 in two installments , through a transitional safety-net allowance . However , many disarmed ex-combatants had expected to receive immediate cash for their weapons to spend on upcoming Christmas festivities . When they did not receive money immediately , these ex-combatants rioted in the capital city Monrovia , causing several deaths . After this incident , UNMIL agreed to an advanced payment of $ 75 per person , based on the yellow forms . This process may also have been abused since a MIS was not yet in place to provide accountability to verify the identity of DDR participants .
The MIS for the Liberia DDR program was finally launched by April 2004 ( although it still did not have a biometric system ). Once the MIS was in use , dollar disbursements were tracked and documented , providing more effective monitoring and accountability . Furthermore , no more riots occurred in the disarmament process .
Recommendation :
1 . Ensure that DDR programs incorporate an information management system that can receive , store , and share relevant information as necessary . UNDP recommends that “ the MIS must be planned for during the assessment phase and should be deployed and operational before the process starts ” ( p . 44 ).
2 . Collect all secondary data through national sources as possible . “ Rather than establishing parallel structures to collect data , it is better to rely on , and strengthen as needed , national systems that are already in place . This is also important in order to strengthen national capacities and promote sustainability of programme achievements after the programme itself has ended ” ( UNDP , p . 21 ).
3 . Incorporate ethical considerations into the collection of primary data ( i . e . personal combatant information , biometric data ), and take into account which identity groups ( such as female excombatants ) may be less likely to participate in DDR due to the collection of this information . Protect all data collected from both male and female ex-combatants .
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