Voluntary Exits from Non-State Armed Groups: Case Studies and Good Practices

Voluntary exits from non-state armed groups are most successful when they complement existing peace initiatives, have strong national direction, regional cooperation, and community ownership. This workshop report, prepared for the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, examines voluntary exits from non-state armed groups in five country case studies: Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, and Somalia. The case studies were prepared based on desk reviews and primary data-gathering in Cameroon, Colombia and Kenya (where relevant UN staff working on Somalia are located).  As defined in the report, voluntary exits occur when an individual, either a combatant or a non-combatant member, leaves a non-state armed group, without duress. The report provides a comparative analysis of the existing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks, identifying effective practices and gaps in supporting voluntary exit. The goal is to inform a locally responsive, community-led policy framework.