Colombia

In Colombia, the Peace Agreement signed in 2016 created hope for lasting peace after more than half a century of war. Women’s rights organisations and other marginalised groups were at the centre of the negotiations and it has often been referred to as the first “feminist peace process”.

However, new types of violence have emerged as criminal gangs and paramilitaries seek to control the country’s lucrative drug and mining industries and the military target human rights defenders with impunity.

Women defenders of land and environment are particularly at risk. Women are attacked not only because they are standing up for their rights, but because they are women exercising leadership.

The country is also now home to 1.6 million Venezuelan refugees, who have fled not only repression and human rights violations, but also hunger and disease.

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Women have an essential role to play in peace building. We are the ones looking for balance for our children. There are very few mothers who want to see their children carrying a machine gun, so we need to do everything possible to stop that from happening. READ STORY Clara Arboleda I survived a landmine. I tried to take my life twice because I thought my life didn't have any value. I thought everything had ended. But I survived for a reason. READ STORY Elisabeth Tascon I believe that our culture is a challenge for women. I always wanted to be part of the change. I always wanted to be in these traditionally male spaces. READ STORY Johanna Gomez I'm a daughter of a rural indigenous woman, she has a lot to do with what I do and who I am. She's a woman who has a lot of spiritual power and a lot of power that's come from the land. She has a lot of strength, a lot of wisdom. I haven't met a wiser woman than my mother. READ STORY Magali Belalcazar I came here when I was three years old. Everything was natural. And there were very few people around. Everything was the Amazon jungle. My heart and soul are here. READ STORY Marina Cuenca I’m working with women who are in a foreign country. They think they don’t have rights, but they do. We tell them what rights they have and where to go to claim these rights, which organisations will help them. READ STORY Sory Acero Castilla

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