Colombia

Canada's Commitment
Results
Country Profile

Canada's Commitment

Colombia is an important strategic partner for Canada. Canada is a leader in children's rights and protection in Colombia.

CIDA's current programming focuses on governance by supporting Colombia's efforts to build peace and improve security. The program has three objectives:

• to help Colombians meet their basic human needs and help protect the rights of those affected by decades-long conflict;
• to support equitable participation in setting up mechanisms to promote peace; and
• to build the capacity of Colombians to address the root causes of violence.

Current projects focus mainly on human rights advocacy, especially protection of children and youth; reintegration of displaced people; education of war-affected children; training for adolescents in resolving conflict; mine risk education; community environmental projects; greater access to the justice system; and gender equality.

The aid program supports the work of CIDA's partners, including international organizations, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF as well as several Canadian non-governmental organizations, such as Plan Canada and Save the Children Canada.

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Results

In particular, CIDA-funded projects have:

• raised public awareness about child rights and protection;
• strengthened child protection policies and programs at the local and national government level and in civil society organizations including training more than 6,000 civil servants on the new Colombian Law on Children and Adolescents;
• in partnership with UNICEF and IOM prevented recruitment of child soldiers, and re-integrated former child soldiers into the community;
• trained more than 900 community justice officials in how to resolve conflicts locally-as a result more than 45,000 conflicts have been resolved at the community level;
• directly helped almost 3,000 people increase their incomes by growing sustainable food crops;
• provided access to formal education for more than 2,500 displaced children and taught peace-building and leadership skills to almost 6,000 school children;
• trained more than 3,000 Colombian youth in conflict resolution techniques. By becoming agents of change, these young Colombians are helping to build a lasting peace.

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Country Profile

Colombia abounds in natural resources and has a rich culture. But it is faced with complex challenges including 50 years of internal conflict. The poverty level hovers around 50 percent and inequity is extremely high. For example, 3 percent of Colombians control 70 percent of all arable land. Most Colombians, especially Aboriginal peoples and Afro-Colombian communities, have been excluded from the country's political, social and economic life throughout its history.

The problems of inequality and exclusion, coupled with the complex issues of illegal cultivation and drug trafficking, have added considerable fuel to the present conflict. Guerrillas, paramilitary forces, private armies, drug traffickers, and other groups have caused violence to escalate and affected hundreds of communities.

Despite some recent improvements, the security and human rights situation remains precarious. Colombia has the third largest number of internally displaced people-about 3 million-almost half of whom are children and youth. More than half a million Colombians have fled to Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica as refugees.

More than 11,000 children have been recruited as child soldiers, sex slaves or spies. One out of four guerrilla and paramilitary soldiers is under 18 years of age. Thousands of children in combat zones and cities are killed each year by small arms or landmines.

Ending the conflict is the main objective of the Government of Colombia, civil society, and the international community. Canada is cooperating closely with the Government of Colombia and civil society partners in both countries to achieve this end.