Security Sector Reform

Years of war and insecurity, in which members of the various armed forces have abused human rights, have tarnished military-civilian relations. Working with the Congolese army (FARDC) and police, SFCG supports the ongoing Security Sector Reform (SSR)aiming to build the capacity of the armed forces to successfully transform conflict, and to improve military-civilian relations.
The aims of this work are:

• Raise awareness of human rights and conflict management within the Congolese army, and raise their capacity to train others in these areas;
• Raise civilian awareness of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and SSR processes underway and support their successful realization
• Close monitoring through military committees to track human rights violations by soldiers through the justice system

Using multi-media and focused trainings, SFCG works with FARDC educators to raise awareness amongst their peers. Committees at the battalion level undertake regular monitoring.

SFCG’s unique training module combines a descriptive “image box”, participatory theatre and other interactive tools to encourage broader respect for human rights among members of the FARDC, while promoting better relations between the military and civilian population. Each committee member is provided with a teaching tool kit at the end of their participation in the training of trainers (TOT).

Radio outreach
SFCG produces a weekly radio soap opera in Lingala and Swahili entitled Tomorrow is a new Day, in which themes related to army integration, the demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants and relations with civilians are developed through a lively set of characters. This is broadcast throughout the country on SFCG’s 100 partner radio stations.

Outreach through sports and culture
SFCG organizes face-to-face meetings between military and civilians, using sports, culture and dialogue to improve relations and promote peaceful cohesion among the two groups.

Comic Books
SFCG produced 40,000 copies of a comic book entitled Tomorrow is a New Day retracing one story line from the radio drama, focusing on the fight against impunity for crimes committed by soldiers against civilians. This has been distributed to military and civilians in North and South Kivu and Kinshasa.

FARDC officers sit with SFCG staff and comics.