Colombia: International organisations contribute to the EU-Colombia HRs Dialogue

We deeply appreciate the opportunity to collaborate and contribute to such a meaningful process. The inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives is essential to fully address the human rights challenges facing Colombia.

Throughout our participation, we have provided accurate and relevant information based on our knowledge and work, as well as that of our counterparts in Colombia, with the aim of enriching the dialogue and facilitating the identification of key areas for improvement and cooperation. In this context, we particularly welcome the prioritization and advancement of critical issues in Colombia’s human rights agenda to ensure that the most urgent and relevant issues for the protection and promotion of human rights in the country are addressed. These include:

• Implementation of Decree 660 of 2018: This decree has faced significant challenges, such as problems of articulation between state institutions, lack of specificity in some of its mechanisms, weakness of the ethnic approach in the application of its measures and limited progress in collective protection measures.
• Gender-based violence: Article 342 of Colombia’s National Development Plan 2022-2026 (NDP) declares a national emergency over gender-based violence, recognizing the urgent need to address and overcome the exacerbated violence against women. The implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, focuses on women’s participation in peacebuilding and security, and the fulfilment of the National Action Plan (NAP) to implement this resolution.
• Multilateral ceasefire: The establishment of a multilateral ceasefire to alleviate the humanitarian crisis situation caused by armed clashes between illegal groups that have not agreed ceasefires with each other.
• Full compliance with the 2016 Final Peace Agreement (AFP): Improve articulation between the government and the state, which is not being sufficiently agile to allow for progress in the plans, mechanisms and implementation of the AFP. Make progress on gender issues and the development of the ethnic chapter of the AFP.
• Respect for IHL and security guarantees for participation: as a starting point for peace negotiations with the different armed groups.
• Victims of torture and police repression in the context of protests: Ensure that acts of intimidation, violence and torture in the context of demonstrations and protests are adequately investigated, prosecuted and punished, with priority given to the attention and full reparation of victims. And the adequate implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

We would also like to express our concern about the follow-up to the agreements resulting from this dialogue. It is essential that the commitments made are translated into concrete and sustainable action. We commit ourselves to continue to actively cooperate and support the follow-up and monitoring of these agreements to ensure that the progress achieved is maintained and strengthened over time, underlining the importance of implementation and sustainability of the commitments made.

We look forward to the results of this dialogue and the resulting actions to strengthen human rights in Colombia.

Signatories:

• Race and Equality.
• Peace Brigades International – Colombia.
• Protection international.
• International Office of Human Rights Action Colombia (OIDHACO)
• World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).