Over a decade of violent conflict in the Lake Chad Basin region has had profoundly gendered effects. People of all genders have been concurrently involved in the conflict, either voluntarily or forced, most notably as part of community militias or groups such as Jama’atu Ahl al-Sunna li-l-Da‘wa wa-l-Jihad (JASDJ), Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and similar groups.

IOM, which engages in interventions focused on disengagement, disassociation, reintegration and reconciliation (DDRR), recognizes that a gender-transformative approach, supported by a proper analysis, is essential. Taking a qualitative methods approach that draws on data collected in interviews with both men and women in communities across the Niger’s Diffa Region and capital city, Niamey, this study examines gender dynamics around the DDRR process in the country and presents recommendations to enable gender transformation.