Every human rights violation is one too many

Columbia, which lies in the north-western part of South America, is almost thirty times the size of Switzerland. Its population is around 44.9 million. Columbia has experienced more than fifty years of armed conflict between guerrilla groups, the military, paramilitary organisations and the drugs mafia. Every day, 1,000 people are driven from their homes and join the ranks of internally displaced people as a consequence of this political violence, every year, around 3,000 people die. Various peace negotiations in recent years have failed. As always in such situations, it is the civilian population that suffers most. Rootlessness as a consequence of forced displacement, poverty resulting from the unequal distribution of goods, and hunger due to the lack of agricultural reform are part of daily life in Columbian society. And this in a country with a range of different climate and cultivation zones and a large potential of mineral resources.
The Fastenopfer programme in Columbia focuses on fostering respect for human rights and promoting peace. It supports marginalised rural and urban groups and organisations in their efforts to actively improve their living conditions and assert their interests and democratic rights as independent actors.

Coordinator and Programme officer

Elsy Marulanda

Alicia Medina