1. Building peace in Colombia

2. 30% of the population live in poverty
Colombia
Suramérica - Colombia
Colombia is a country in South America. The capital is Bogotá.
Colombia is 5 times the size of the UK and has a population of approximately 50 million people which is less than the UK (approx. 66 million)
Around 70% of Colombians are Catholics.
There is vast inequality in Colombia. According to the Word Bank, Colombia’s top 10% earners received 40% of the wealth that was generated in After Brazil, Colombia is the second most unequal country in Latin America.
Highest levels of poverty are found in Colombia’s countryside, where more than one third of the people live below the country’s poverty line (2017).
30% of the population live in poverty
South America 2

3. Colombia has the highest number of displaced people in the world.
Colombia has the highest number of internally displaced people, according to the United Nations (2017).
Syria, the second country on the list, has an internally displaced population of 6.2 million.
7.7 million people – more than in Syria

4. Colombia’s internal conflict has lasted for more than fifty years
Colombia’s internal conflict has lasted for more than 50 years and its roots causes are linked to inequality and a desire to redistribute land.
The conflict has been between left wing guerrillas groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and another leftist group, the National Liberation army (ELN), the Colombia government, right wing paramilitaries (group that is organised like an army) and security forces.
The FARC and other guerrilla movements claim to fight for the rights of the poor in Colombia. The Colombian government claims to fight for order and stability. The paramilitary groups claim to react to perceived threats by left-wing guerrilla groups.
The internal conflict has also been fuelled by illegal economies such as illegal gold mining and crops for drugs such as cocaine.
Colombia has a long history of drugs, crime and violence. The conflict in Colombia was deepened by the use of drug trafficking as a means of financing the conflict.
The lucrative nature of illegal gold mining has led to increased violence as different groups try to control land.
Kidnapping for ransom has been a frequent source of funding for Colombia’s armed conflict. Leftist guerrillas, crime gangs and right-wing paramilitaries have kidnapped thousands of people over the years.
Both guerrilla and paramilitary groups have engaged in drug trafficking and terrorism. All of the parties engaged in the conflict have been criticized for numerous human rights violations.
Some paramilitaries have demobilised and there has been a successful demobilisation of different guerrilla groups over the decades.
In Colombia’s Presidential elections last year, the runner up was a demobilised guerrilla- this is a sign of hope for the reintegration of former combatants and a political end to the conflict.
Colombia’s internal conflict has lasted for more than fifty years

5. Grave Human Rights Abuses
All armed actors in Colombia’s conflict have committed human rights abuses.   
More than 280,000 Colombians have been killed.
Over 60,000 have been forcibly disappeared – their loved ones don’t know what happened to them.
Approximately 17% of the population in Colombia has been directly affected by the armed conflict, due to forced displacement, enforced disappearances, killings, sexual assault, threats, etc.
Last year, someone was forced to flee their home every 4 minutes.
2.3 million children have been displaced from their homes, and 45,000 children killed.
Killings in Colombia have fallen since the signing of the peace deal in 2016, however this is not the case for human rights defenders.
Human rights defenders in Colombia are often members of the community who stand up for the rights of others. They may challenge the presence of armed groups and work to defend their land rights and protect the environment.
Human Rights Defenders are targeted by armed groups fighting for control of land, often to cultivate drugs.
Last year (2017), the first full year of peace in Colombia after half a century of conflict, was the deadliest on record for human rights defenders, with 121 killed, compared with 60 killings in 2016.

6. Peace Negotiations with the FARC
Peace agreement signed in November 2016.
June 2017, FARC completed demobilisation process formally ending its existence as an armed group.
Peace Agreement:
Land reform
Political participation
Crop substitution
Justice, Truth and Reparation
UK has played an important role in Colombia’s peace process
After more than 4 years of negotiations, a final peace agreement was signed between the Colombian government and the left-wing guerrilla group FARC on 24th November 2016.
(August 2016 a peace agreement was made, Oct 2016 the Colombian’s voted “No” to the peace agreement but a revised deal was approved by Congress in November 2016).
Agreement tried to address roots causes of the conflict
Land reform
Political Participation
Crop substitution
Justice, Truth and Reparation
UK has played an important role in Colombia’s peace process. Colombia has taken peace and reconciliation advice from several Northern Irish figures over the years, drawing on the experience of the Good Friday Agreement.
UK was a pen-holder at the UN on the Colombian peace process and continues to offer support to the Colombian government to ensure sustainable peace in Colombia.

7. Violence still continues it has become part of everyday life
Formal peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN), another left-wing guerilla group began in February 2017 under the previous President Juan Manuel Santos.
The negotiations have not advanced significantly due to several factors including ELN’s refusal to give up kidnapping.
Colombia’s current President Ivan Duque who was elected last year (2018) has not assigned new negotiators to achieve a peace agreement with the ELN.
In January 2019, ELN rebels claimed responsibility for the bombing of a police academy in Bogota that killed 20 people and derailed peace talks being held in Cuba.
Duque has described the ELN as a “terrorist group” and reaffirmed that his government was open to resuming dialogue only when the ELN releases all remaining hostages and ends participation in all criminal activity. This has been the position of the government since then.

8. “However difficult the road to peace and understanding, we must put more effort into recognising one other, healing wounds, building bridges, extending ties and mutual support”
Pope Francis
During Pope Francis’ visit to Colombia in 2017, he spoke about the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation to build peace. He said:
“The search for peace is a continual task; a task that has no let up and that demands the commitment of all.
However difficult the road to peace and understanding, we must put more effort into recognising one other, healing wounds, building bridges, extending ties and mutual support”.
During the Pope’s visit he stressed it was the responsibility of the Church to foster reconciliation.
In October 2018, President Duque and Pope Francis met. Pope Francis asked Duque to embrace unity instead of division.
Duque had campaigned on modifying the peace agreement. However, since taking office, President Duque has acknowledged that the peace agreement with the FARC is a state commitment.

9. CAFOD in Colombia
CAFOD has worked in Colombia for 50 years (first grant given in 1969) with experienced Church and non- Church partners. We have been there since the conflict started.
Our programme in Colombia, focuses on peace building, protection of human rights defenders, people displaced by conflict, sustainable livelihoods, work on business and human rights and gender-based violence.
The Catholic Church in Colombia plays a key role as an advocate for peace and human rights, the resettlement of uprooted communities, the participation of victims in peace talks and the need to ensure victims have access to truth, justice and reparation.
The Catholic Church has played an important part in Colombia’s peace process working at many different levels.
On a local level, for decades people would go to their church and local priest (often in remote areas) if their loved ones were killed, had disappeared, if they had to leave their home or if they had no food. Church started documenting what was happening on the ground.
Church has also been working at a national level, supporting the national reconciliation process with the government and the FARC and ELN.
CAFOD is not taking sides.
How do you know it is going to work?
Why are we involved in a political problem?
Surely we cannot create peace in a place like Colombia?

10. Why do we work on peacebuilding?
Our work can contribute to making a real difference (life & death)
Unique window of opportunity
Extraordinary role of the Church in the peace process
Seeking a structural change, breaking the conflict spiral
Partners are asking us to work on peacebuilding
To flourish, peace is needed
Why do CAFOD’s partners work on peacebuilding?
Our work can contribute to making a real difference (life and death). As CAFOD we work with our partners to achieve peace and security so that women and men in the poorest and most disadvantaged communities life in a safe and secure environment.
The Catholic Church has and will continue to pay an extraordinary role in the peacebuilding process at all levels. We are part of the Church. Peace is a cornerstone of our faith and true peace goes hand in hand with justice.
Colombia faces a unique window of opportunity with the demobilisation of the largest guerrilla group, FARC after 50 years. Significant progress has been made with the peace agreement but there is still work to be done.
Partners are asking us to work on peacebuilding. CAFOD works in partnership which means listening to our overseas partners who understand the greatest needs of the communities they work with.
Seeking structural change, working to break the conflict spiral so that people are not forced to flee their homes.
For communities to flourish, peace is needed. Only once people are no longer forced to flee their homes can we start working on other issues such as livelihoods. Surviving and having a home is the priority.

11. What is CAFOD doing to support the peace process in Colombia?
Asking supporters to pray for peace
Supporting partners with projects to build peace like Hands On Magdalena Medio.
Supporting projects that seek to address the root causes of the conflict and that respond to humanitarian needs.
Increasing visibility of the humanitarian and human rights crisis and provide protection for human rights defenders.
Advocacy at international level
Working with other Caritas Agencies
What is CAFOD doing to support the peace process in Colombia? 
Asking CAFOD supporters to pray for peace
Support partners with projects to build peace like Hands On Colombia.
Supporting projects that seek to address the root causes of the conflict and that respond to humanitarian needs.
Increasing visibility of the humanitarian and human rights crisis and provide protection for human rights defenders.
Carry out advocacy at international level. Working with other Caritas Agencies including the Caritas Internationalis Working Group on Colombia

12. Hands On Magdalena Medio
Colombia has many rivers and the Magdalena River is one of the most important rivers in Colombia.
Magdalena is a department in the north of Colombia by the Caribbean Sea. Magdalena was named after the Magdalena River.
HandsOn Magdalena Medio refers to the middle section of the river.
The project is working in 9 municipalities in Magdalena. Some areas are very remote and difficult to get to as roads are very poor. Bad infrastructure, difficult weather and far distances mean it can sometimes be a challenge for people to participate in the project.
Hands On Magdalena Medio

13. A region rich in resources, plagued by illegal armed groups
Magdalena Medio is an area plagued by conflict and many people there have lived through violence directly.
Due to its location and abundance of oil and natural resources such as gold and emeralds, Magdalena Medio has been plagued by illegal armed groups for decades.
The ELN arrived in Magdalena Medio from the mid-1960s, bringing high levels of conflict.
The FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) and the EPL (Ejército Popular de Liberación), another left-wing group also took control of parts of the city.
In 1980s paramilitary groups took control of areas claiming self defence against the guerrillas. However, they used indiscriminate brutal violence to threaten anyone who spoke out against them.
Research centre CINEP who is a CAFOD partner, estimates that there have been around 1,000 assassinations and 300 enforced disappearances at the hands of paramilitaries in and around the city of Barranca between During that period, the sight of floating bodies down the Magdalena Medio river was a daily occurrence.
Most of these cases were never even brought to justice for fear of retaliation or total disillusion in the justice system.
Some paramilitaries demobilised from but many reformed as criminal bands.
The ELN are still active in Magdalena Medio, with social control of territory: curfews control where and how you meet, forced recruitment of young people. There is drug trafficking and illegal gold mining. The fall in oil prices has led to unemployment.
Many people in Magdalena Medio will have experienced:
-loved ones being killed
-violence, including sexual violence
-fear and repression
-forced recruitment of someone in their family
Colombia is at a critical juncture with the implementation of the peace accords between the Colombian Government and the FARC guerrillas.
Teenagers and young people in rural communities are at particular risk from violence, involvement in drugs and trafficking, recruitment into criminal gangs, post demobilised paramilitary groups and other guerrilla groups.

14. Peace Building programme
3 year programme with our partner PDP
Co-funded by the European Union
Over 3 years, we aim to reach 2,561 students, 877 parents and around 5,000 people in total.
Working in 34 secondary schools, 4 local community groups
Our Hands on Project is about peace culture and peace education.
3 year programme with our partner PDP (Peace and Development Programme). Their motto is “life first” (“primero la vida”).
Co-funded by the European Union. EU is funding 67%, CAFOD 19% and CAFOD partner PDP 14%.
Over 3 years, we aim to reach 2,561 students, 877 parents and around 5,000 people in total.
Working in 34 secondary schools, 4 local community groups (youth groups, women’s organisations).
Students will be taught how to respond to conflict situations with words rather than physical violence.

15. Aim: We want to contribute to peacebuilding and reconciliation at an individual and collective level in 9 municipalities in the Magdalena Medio region affected by the armed conflict.
What does peacebuilding mean? What do we want to achieve?
We want to contribute to peacebuilding and reconciliation at an individual and collective level in 9 municipalities in the Magdalena Medio region affected by the armed conflict.
Project seeks to change changes in behaviors and attitudes and transform communities.
​Drop of water- changing an individual’s life and behavior can have a rippling effect, affect the lives of those around them, transform whole communities.

16. Camilo and Blanca – local staff
“These small changes you make in your own life, that's where peace starts from. Then this can expand and become bigger. You cannot say this project will bring peace to Colombia but you can talk about this small area, the immediate vicinity of your life, and show how it is possible to build peace here.”
Blanca
Camilo is a psychologist who has worked with PDP (Peace and Development Programme) for 8 years.
Blanca is a journalist.
“Our circumstances might not be the best, but with your support, we’ll see communities transform. You’ll see young people being given the opportunity to change their lives, change their families and change their whole community.” Camilo

17. Fernando – a project participant
“I think we have a role to play to promote peace. Along with my friends and other young people that surround me, I can bring a message of peace to everyone I meet. “
“I imagine that one day, a soldier who is shooting will remember my message and put down their weapon and stop shooting. “
Fernando is 15 years old, recently elected as a student representative. He believes he can make a difference and change the world and CAFOD wants to foster that change.
Why do we focus on young people?
Generations have grown up only knowing conflict – we want to support a generation of peace.
Young people are the future. If conflict is no longer the normal way of life there is hope for an end to violence.

18. Nieles, leader of Women’s network
Peacebuilding is a very long process. The Hands on Project is working alongside 4 local community groups (women’s groups, youth groups). The aim is that after 3 years, the local groups will be stronger and the work will continue when the funding has stopped.
Project is prioritising young people (by working in schools and through local organisations) and women. These two groups are most at risk of violence.
Nieles is a leader of a women’s network which works with women and girls so that they better understand gender issues like violence against women and are better able to demand their rights.
Nieles believes that society itself needs to change to build peace. Violence in the family needs to stop and men and women need to be seen as equal.
“We must contribute to a community, a country, a world without violence, a world of peace. We are builders of peace”.
“We need to empower women and fight for peace not with weapons,
but by shooting knowledge and training and learning.”

19. What is violence? What is ok? What isn’t ok?
Women’s networks are supporting women and girls who face violence in their families and communities.
Workshops and creative activities are run to raise awareness about gender issues and discuss what can be done.
The first step is looking at what is violence? What is ok? What isn’t ok? This is important in a context where violence has become so normal.
The group also works with men and the aim is that girls and women become empowered and are able to make positive changes in their lives.
When women’s relationship with their partner changes, this has a huge impact on their life and in turn affects the wider community.
One way of raising awareness is looking at a questionnaire on violence which looks at the different types of violence and asks women which ones they have suffered. This is a very powerful way of showing the many faces of violence and how far spread it is.
Women’s networks are also working with local authorities to increase the number of female representatives in local government.
Niele speaks of society as a bird that is tying to fly. One wing represents men and the other women. At the moment the wings are unbalanced (women do not have an equal voice and influence) which means the bird cannot fly.
What is violence? What is ok? What isn’t ok?

20. Eligio Gomez Peinado, Head teacher
Eligio is a Headteacher at Simiti secondary school.
Eligio believes engraining values of tolerance and respect through education can play an important role in helping children and young people to live and communicate better with one another to avoid violence in Colombia.
He sees the role of teachers and parents as fundamental in this process.
“If we can ingrain these values into the minds of our students while they are still young, if we do our bit as a school and the family do their bit too, then our young people will become part of a society that will try to transform our country”

21. Community Level 4 Civil Society organisations (peer to peer learning)
Schools (teachers/ parents/ students)
Implement pedagogic and cultural initiatives for peace.
Workshops on:
Citizenship
Peacebuilding
Social and environmental issues
Meetings with parents
Technical assistance for teachers on strategies
for the school curriculum e.g. how to resolve conflict,
promote gender equality and promote peace.
Students create their own peace initiatives
Community Level
4 Civil Society organisations (peer to peer learning)
Pedagogic and cultural peace initiatives
Peace laboratory focusing on women/young people. Initiatives will come from the community e.g. theatre, dance, mural painting.
Political/Institutional Level
- Local committees in charge of peacebuilding are active and achieve what they were created for.
-Alliance with Ministry of Education, pedagogic and cultural initiatives to feed into the national curriculum.
Schools (teachers, parents, students)
Implement pedagogic and cultural initiatives for peace.
Workshops on:
Citizenship
Peacebuilding
Social and environmental issues ( how people react with the environment can also be violent or peaceful).
Meetings with parents
Technical assistance for teachers on strategies for the school curriculum e.g. how to resolve conflict, promote gender equality.
Students create their own initiatives
Community Level
4 Civil Society organisations (peer to peer learning, looking at their strengths and weaknesses.
Pedagogic and cultural peace initiatives
Peace laboratory- one focusing on women and another on young people. Initiatives will come from the community e.g. theatre, dance, mural painting. Depends on what the young people would like to do themselves.
Strength of the project is that the drive comes from the community and it is the partner that is providing the technical expertise on peacebuilding.
Political/institutional Level
Across 9 municipalities, committees have been created to work on peace and reconciliation, but this is often on paper. Goal is that these local committees are active and achieve what they were created for.
Aim is that young people and women are active in these committees.
Could be initiatives like creating more green spaces so that young people are less likely to get involved in substance abuse and drug trafficking.
Alliance with Ministry of Education, aim is that successful pedagogic and cultural initiatives for peace are taken up in the national curriculum.

22. Peacebuilding Exchanges
Exchanges, CAFOD partners from Central America and Peru share what has/hasn’t worked in their peacebuilding work. Workshops- look at what is memory?
If you want to move on to move on from conflict, you need to be clear what happened. Look at memory, meaning of memories and how to engage with government and policy makers.
What is memory?

23. When I think of conflict…
What comes to mind when you think of conflict?
What come to mind when you think of peace?
CAFOD will be sharing messages of peace and solidarity from supporters with community members participating in the project.
Please encourage supporters to share messages.

24. What does peace mean to you
What does peace mean to you? How can you build peace in your community and school?

25. How do you measure success?
Attitude Change:
Interviewed 2,000 young people, teachers, members of local organisations about their perceptions of conflict and peace. Will measure again in year 2&3.
- Number of peace initiatives coming from the community and levels of participation. E.g. peace laboratories.
Questions:
How do you measure success? Not black and white, not something physical. The partner carried out a baseline, where they interviewed more than 2,000 young people, teachers, organisations and asked them about their life and community and violence. PDP will do this again in a years time and the end of the project where we expect to see a change in attitudes and behaviours.
We will also measure how successful the project has been by looking at how many peace laboratories took place and how many people participated.
Implications of Brexit?
Project is funded by EU, our partner Peace and Development Programme hold the contract with the EU not CAFOD. CAFOD provides technical advice and recommendations. Therefore will be continue despite Brexit. CAFOD is in discussions with DFID about what happens in the case of “No Deal”. Peacebuilding in Colombia is an important project in the EU.
Future
Peace process is very complex. Peace agreement with FARC, opened up unique opportunity. 5 different conflicts in Colombia at this moment.
Perception that Colombia is at peace, yes agreement with FARC but still work to be done, implementation of peace agreement.
ABColombia and Caritas network and CAFOD all working as a network.

26. Questions
Thank you