SCIAF in Colombia

Mark Camburn , SCIAF's Programme Manager, reflects on why it is so important that we continue to help our sisters and brother in Colombia - many of whom are being pushed further into poverty through factors beyond their control.

SCIAF has been working in Colombia since the 1980s, and Colombia remains one of our priority countries. From the outside, it may not seem immediately obvious why SCIAF would continue to work in Colombia - an Upper Middle-Income Country which signed a peace accord in 2016, ending the world’s longest running civil war. However, if we scratch the surface a little, these reasons become very clear.

Whilst Colombia reached the historic peace accords with the former FARC guerrilla group in 2016, internal armed conflict remains a constant for much of the country, in particular in rural areas. Guerrilla groups, paramilitary groups, and state forces battle for territorial dominance and the control of strategic geographical areas (such as border regions, trafficking routes, drug production areas, and mining zones). Rural communities are caught in the crossfire, and conflict related displacement and confinement remains high in Colombia. The use of landmines is common, as is the practice of forced recruitment of young girls and boys into their ranks. Those that speak-out are targeted and threatened, and Colombia remains the world’s most dangerous country to be a Human Rights Defender (or social leader), accounting for around 50% of all HRD killings annually.

At the same time, Colombia is one of the world’s most unequal countries, with the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” growing ever wider. This is particularly stark in regions such as the Chocó department, where SCIAF works. Despite an incredible wealth in biodiversity, an abundance of freshwater, fertile land and significant mineral resources, Chocó remains one of Colombia’s poorest departments. Over 63% of the population of Chocó remain poor, and 33% live in extreme poverty. Over 65% lack access to basic needs, such as clean drinking water and sanitation. The region has been largely abandoned by the State, and the predominantly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous population left to fend for themselves.

We also continue to work in Colombia because of the huge opportunities that exist for rapid, significant change, and as a result of our strong track-record of positive results. The starting point for this are our local partner organisations (and in particular our church-based partners who are often the first port of call for communities affected by conflict), and their ability to work in close coordination with community-based organisations, responding to needs identified by the communities themselves. Added to this, is the ability of our partners to work in larger national and international networks, pooling resources to bring about changes that benefit many more people. Through this, we have supported ground-breaking, locally-led work that has resulted in significant land-titling of indigenous and afro-Colombian communities, and a world-leading court ruling granting bio-cultural rights to the mighty River Atrato.

The recent elections in Colombia, and the resulting changing political direction, offer a new opportunity to push the peace process forward, and work towards a more equal country. The participation of the marginalised and most vulnerable groups in Colombia, such as the rural communities in Chocó, will be key to any future success. SCIAF will continue to work with these communities, empowering them to make their voices heard and to be the leaders of their own development processes.