319. With regard to progress made in the area of the right of women to peace and the reconstruction of the country after the devastating armed conflict, note should be taken of the establishment of the National Ex-Combatant Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programme (PNDDR), AMANI or STAREC programme, establishment of an office to coordinate the mechanism for the monitoring of the 2013 Addis-Ababa framework agreement and the international support strategy for stabilization and security (ISSSS). Mention can also be made of the establishment of a Regional Centre for Research and Documentation on Gender, Women and Peace Building in the Great Lakes Region (CEREDGL) by the ministers responsible for gender which has its headquarters in Kinshasa, establishment of the NHRC/DRC, etc. In addition, funds have been allocated to civil society organizations to carry out programmes on women, peace and security. In each of these programmes, the gender dimension has been taken into account. 320. The PNDDR is a programme established by presidential decree after the peace agreements signed in 2003 as part of the security sector reforms. For its implementation, the Congolese Government received funding from financial backers, particularly the World Bank and the Multi-Country Demobilization and Reintegration Programme (MDRP), to the tune of US$250,000,000. The general objective was to contribute to the consolidation of peace and the promotion of economic stability and sustainable development in the DRC and the Great Lakes region. Having covered the period 2004- 2011, the programme ensured the collection of 118,459 weapons as part of operations towards the disarmament and demobilization of more than 111,000 ex-combatants and enabled 30,000 children associated with the military life of armed forces and groups to regain their normal social life. It also enabled 89,000 demobilized individuals to be reintegrated economically in their host or original community, i.e. 4 out of 5 demobilized individuals registered by the programme. With regard to women associated with armed groups in particular, a little over three out of five female ex-combatants (67%) benefitted from one of the programme’s reintegration projects. A gender strategy has been implemented by the CONADER, which has been incorporated into all aspects of demobilization and reintegration. In December, 2007, the MDRP launched a peace and access to equality programme. This CARITAS-implemented programme funded six assistance projects (Table 116) meant for female ex-combatants. During the first phase, 3,478 female ex-combatants were demobilized, and 1,520 of them received reintegration assistance. The second phase dealt with 1,046 women who had chosen to participate in a reintegration programme in the army or a PNDDR socio-economic reintegration programme. These reintegration programmes have focused essentially on agricultural industries and processing (livestock, farming). 321. STAREC is the programme for the reconstruction of areas emerging from conflicts established by Presidential Order No. 09/051 of 29 June, 2009 which was initially designed for 5 provinces (North-Kivu, South-Kivu, Maniema, Orientale Province and Katanga). In 2014, per Ordinance No. 14/014 of 14 May, 2014, the STAREC programme was converted into a national stabilization and reconstruction programme placed under the high authority of the President of the Republic. The programme is made up of three basic components: a security component, a humanitarian and social component and an economic stimulation component. With the support of the international community, through programmes like the International Support, Stabilization and Security Strategy (ISSSS), Stabilization and Recovery Fund (SRFF) Peace Consolidation Fund, etc., the programme led to projects like the sustainable reintegration of ex-combatants, strengthening of communities and the consolidation of peace in Ituri, support for the return to barracks of soldiers, DDRRR support for FDLR combatants, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads, support for state infrastructure (police, justice system, administration, prisons, etc.). 322. At the security level, the country has started modernizing the army and the police. The latter intends to strengthen its presence throughout the country. The following actions in particular must be taken: (i) improve the overall institutional framework of the defence and security forces and strengthen the army’s intervention capacity to ensure the defence of the territory; (ii) establish internal public security departments based on a new, national, professional, procitizen, accountable and transparent police service, and (iii) combat gender-based violence, including sexual violence. 63