TRIPOLI – 21 November – In a working group meeting on Monday, UNSMIL brought together Libyan institutions, civil society organizations from across the country, and international counterparts to discuss the challenges and opportunities in supporting disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) efforts in Libya.

The session reaffirmed the commitment and role of UNSMIL and the international community in supporting Libya's peace process. The Mission currently focuses on fostering unity, facilitate dialogue, and bolster collaboration among all Libyan stakeholders, with the objective of building trust, preventing conflict, and laying the groundwork for enduring peace.

Underscoring the role of civil society in supporting institutions to advocate for and uphold human rights, civil rights activists from the south and the east said civil society representatives from across the country were working to urge authorities to monitor violations and respect the human rights and needs of different local communities to reduce tensions.

Representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Defence highlighted the government’s efforts to support the socioeconomic reintegration of former combatants into society and emphasized the importance of supporting young people and women with employment opportunities through skills training, job creation, and rehabilitation services that support a return to civilian life. This was supported by UN Women’s representatives who highlighted leadership initiatives for women and stressed the importance of considering the needs of women when designing community strategies.

Participants also discussed the need to protect children in armed conflict, following a recent UNICEF-led workshop on the topic. UNICEF representatives emphasized the need to prioritize children in conflict resolution and reintegration efforts and called for further measures to prevent the recruitment of children into armed formations.