Colombia Consultation November 2006
Purpose
From November 6 to 11, 2006, the Initiative for Inclusive Security visited Bogotá for a series of meetings and events with top-level government officials, international community representatives, and civil society activists focused on increasing the inclusion of gender perspectives throughout Colombia’s various peace processes. The consultation culminated in a two-day workshop with members and staff of the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation (a commission created within the Justice and Peace Law, which is composed of members from government and civil society to oversee the transitional justice process).
High-Level Advocacy Meetings
Ambassador Harriet C. Babbitt, former senior vice president of Hunt Alternatives Fund, and Miki Jacevic, deputy director of The Initiative for Inclusive Security, had a series of high-level advocacy meetings to discuss the integration of gender perspectives throughout Colombia’s reintegration, negotiation, and transitional justice processes. They also met with members of the Women Waging Peace Network to learn more about various peace efforts in their country. High-level meetings featured:
- Members of the Senate Women’s Caucus;
- Liliana Ayalde, mission director, US Agency for International Development;
- Guillermo Mendoza Diago, Deputy Attorney General;
- Frank Pearl, High Commissioner for Reintegration;
- Diego Beltrand, director, International Organization for Migration;
- Luis Alfonso Hoyos, head, Accion Social (a national social development agency);
- Dr. Dario Mejía, senior adviser, Office of the Peace Commissioner; and
- Eduardo Pizarro, chair, National Commission for Reconciliation and Reparation.
Follow-up efforts on the various advocacy meetings include:
- Invitation to Colombian women to participate in Colloquium 2007
Inclusive Security invited a delegation of Colombian women government officials to participate in the “Women in Government: Securing the Future” conference. During the conference, the officials created a series of recommendations focused on increasing women’s participation in elected positions and enhancing their influence once in office. Inclusive Security continues to support their efforts by connecting them with key political women’s organizations in the US.
- USAID gender assessment
As part of our growing relationship with USAID representatives in Washington, DC and Bogotá, USAID has decided to conduct a gender assessment on their Colombia programs. Catalina Rojas, author of Inclusive Security’s Colombia case study, was hired to conduct the gender assessment.
- Training with Attorney General’s office
We have been invited to conduct gender awareness training with the Attorney General’s office in Colombia during spring 2007.
- High Commission for Reintegration
We are working with the High Commission for Reintegration office in two different facets: ensuring their strategic plan is gender sensitive; and identifying gender-specific fields to include in their database covering the status of demobilized individuals.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
We are collaborating with IOM Colombia to mainstream gender mainstreaming in their programs focusing on demobilized populations.
Workshop with National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation (NCRR)
The NCRR workshop focused on a presentation of best practices from transitional justice bodies from around the world, with a particular focus on the inclusion of gender perspectives. The workshop included group exercises to apply lessons learned across the globe to the Colombian context. Using past models, participants addressed gender sensitive investigative processes, reconciliation practices, public hearings, and reparations.
The workshop aims to ensure long-term sustainability of the Commission’s goal of national reconciliation. By shifting the focus from women as victims of the war to women as agents of change and reconciliation, the Commission has the opportunity to strengthen its impact and serve as a model for the rest of the world.
Past In-Country Efforts
The November 2006 consultation was the third organized by Inclusive Security in Bogotá. The first consultation, held in August 2005, focused on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, under the title “Inclusive Security, Sustainable Peace: Tools for Advocacy and Action.” In December that year, Inclusive Security returned for a second consultation. This visit consisted of various high-level advocacy meetings along with an organized visit to local women’s organizations outside of Bogotá with First Lady Lina de Uribe.
Next Steps
In addition to following up on the November workshop’s recommendations, Inclusive Security is preparing similar trainings with other government entities, including the Attorney General’s office.
Inclusive Security’s future Colombia strategy capitalizes on previous accomplishments to launch a gender mainstreaming drive through different actors in the Colombian political and social spectrum. Advocacy will continue with implementing agencies and civil society groups working on reintegration programs.
Inclusive Security’s Colombia strategic plan for 2007 is based on three pillars:
- Continued push for increasing the number of women in elected positions and enhancing the efforts of the women’s caucus;
- Continued push for mainstreaming of gender issues in the work of the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation; and
- Continued push for a gender-sensitive implementation of Justice and Peace Law.
Recommendations
Click here for the recommendations from the 2007 Colloquium in either English or Spanish.
Click here for recommendations from the November 2006 workshop in either English or Spanish.
Publications
Read our previous reports on Colombia:
In the Midst of War: Women's Contributions to Peace in Colombia
Preparing for Peace: The Critical Role of Women in Colombia
Directory of Women Peace Experts
Use our directory to find women peace experts from Colombia.
Press Releases & Media Coverage
Colombian Leaders Agree: Empowering Women Strengthens Their Democracy
November 6, 2006
Speech to the United Nations Security Council by Colombia Representative Claudia Blum, on Women, Peace, and Security
Resources
Click here for Colombia-specific resources.