MADRE Statements

Demanding Human Rights in Colombia

Posted on: Friday, July 9, 2010

Keywords: Colombia, Peace Building, Human Rights Advocacy, Latin America and the Caribbean, UN

For over 40 years, Colombians have endured an armed conflict over their country’s highly concentrated sources of natural wealth, especially land. Instead of battling one another directly, Colombia’s armed groups usually attack civilians suspected of siding with their enemy. The main victims of the conflict are women and families, hundreds of thousands of whom have been assaulted, displaced from their homes or killed.

MADRE works in partnership with the organizations Taller de Vida and LIMPAL to offer support to women and youth who have been displaced from their homes by the conflict or conscripted into armed groups.

MADRE demands a more just US policy towards Colombia. We believe that instead of fueling Colombia’s war, the United States should act as part of the international community to support a negotiated settlement to the conflict, one that addresses the poverty and inequality at the root of Colombia’s crisis.

MADRE has joined with our partner organizations in Colombia to submit a report to the Human Rights Committee that gives voice to those lived experiences. The report shows that, contrary to the claims of the Colombian government, Colombia's decades-long conflict and government policies continue to generate grave violations of women's human rights.

Take Action:

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MADRE in Colombia:

Colombia: Building a Culture of Peace

Colombia: Protecting Children of War

Demanding a Second Chance for Colombia's Children of War

Video: Born Into War - Child Soldiers in Colombia

MADRE at the UN:

Colombia: Report on Violations of Women's Human Rights (English)

MADRE Presents on Colombia Before the UN Human Rights Committee

Press Release: MADRE Presents Report to UN Human Rights Committee on the Situation in Colombia

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