Colombia has endured decades of internal armed conflict involving the government, guerrillas, paramilitaries, and criminal groups. Violence continues as illegal armed groups compete for control of illicit economies and territory. Civilians, especially in rural areas, remain severely affected, facing displacements, massacres, and violence.
The Colombian government’s Total Peace policy aims to minimize violence, protect civilians, and dismantle armed groups, while also implementing the commitments made in the 2016 Peace Accord. However, political opposition, lack of implementation, and the resurgence of conflict have hindered progress.
Human rights defenders are in grave danger, with 105 killings verified by the UN in 2023. Community leaders are frequently targeted by armed groups seeking to control territories and illicit economies, leaving them at risk of displacement or death.
Women’s organisations successfully ensured that conflict-related sexual violence was excluded from amnesty provisions in the 2016 Peace Accord. Nevertheless, this remains a weapon of war, with devastating impacts on the physical and mental health of survivors and communities. Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace has documented over 35,000 victims of gender-based violence between 1957-2016.
Multinational companies also negatively affect local communities in Colombia through the use of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. These allow companies to sue the government for policy changes aimed at protecting human rights and the environment. Colombia has been particularly impacted by ISDS claims, with 23 filed between 2016 and 2023. These claims amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, mainly related to policies enacted to address climate concerns and human rights.
As the peace process faces setbacks and communities remain vulnerable, support is urgently needed to protect human rights, promote peace, and address the root causes of Colombia’s violence.
Your donations will help support human rights and environmental defenders, protect vulnerable populations, and advocate for sustainable peace in Colombia.
ABColombia is the advocacy project of a group of five leading UK and Irish organisations with programmes in Colombia: the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Christian Aid, Oxfam, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) and Trócaire. Amnesty International and Peace Brigades International (PBI) are observers. CAFOD manage the administration of this page and 100% of donations are received by ABColombia.
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