Colombia (view map)

Colombia’s cultural and natural heritage ranks among the richest and most varied in the world. It has coasts on two oceans, three mountain ranges and an enormous variety of climates. This results in abundant water, flora, fauna and extensive sub soil mining resources such as oil, gas, emeralds and gold.

But despite this tremendous wealth a large proportion of Colombia’s people are afflicted by poverty, human rights violations and are caught up in the longest ongoing internal conflict in Latin America.

SCIAF supports a range of partners in Colombia who are working with the poorest and most vulnerable groups. The majority of our partners work with people affected by the violence that is endemic in the country. We help our partners meet the immediate needs of the poorest, some forced from their land with literally no possessions. They also empower marginalised groups whose human rights have been violated through violence, a lack of access to services or a lack of access to land.

Not all violence in Colombia is caused by the drugs trade. While it is true that the country plays a leading role in the illicit drugs business, this is only part of the picture. The conflict has its roots in a history of social inequality, concentrated land ownership, and the displacement of subsistence farmers to regions with no infrastructure and state presence. As a result deep divisions characterise the social fabric of Colombia.

In the 1960s guerrilla forces emerged to attack the State in the name of social justice and revolutionary ideologies. These forces continue their war against the state but popular support was eroded when they carried out massacres, kidnappings and bombings of innocent people - they are also involved in the drugs trade. The majority of human rights violations, however, have been carried out by Para-militaries. They are the adversaries of the left-wing guerrilla forces, many of whom are associated with Colombian state security forces.

Most victims are poor Afro-Colombian, indigenous and peasant farmer communities who live in conflict zones. They are subjected to threats, intimidation, murders and control of their livelihoods. The depth of the crisis is so severe that three million people have fled their homes and land since 1985.

Although Colombia is classified as a low middle income country, 57 to 77 per cent of the population live in poverty¹. The fear is that the international community further invest in military actions rather than in social welfare or the promotion of human rights.

According to UNICEF, the education budget should be increased immediately by 50 per cent and sustained at that level for the next ten years. It is only by doing this that Colombia has any hope of achieving basic education for all by 2015.

SCIAF has worked in Colombia for 20 years and currently supports five partners with recent grants totalling £121,072. These are used mainly in the areas of agricultural support, peace building, helping internally displaced people, promoting advocacy and lobbying, and empowering people with disabilities.