contributed to the indifference of society and the state on the differential impacts that the
conflict has had on our lives.
A model of extractive and exclusionary economic development has been at the root
of the causes of the conflict and its consequences: before the armed conflict impacted
our communities, the economic actors supported by the government encouraged the
extraction of natural resources Regardless of the living conditions of our communities. This
continuous dynamic has increased the vulnerability of communities being the reason why the
conflict deepened the situation of exclusion.
The failure to effectively implement differential approaches, both before and during
the humanitarian crisis caused by the Colombian armed conflict, has led to the
profound deterioration of the Afro-Colombian communities that are victims of the
conflict. In Colombia, laws and policies have been formulated following all international
standards related to the protection of minorities. However, the allocation of financial and
technical resources has not been sufficient or adequate to comply with what the law
establishes. The formulation of legislation and policies do not guarantee the effective
protection of minorities.
The protection of women belonging to minority groups, especially regarding sexual
violence, should be the number-one priority in dealing with humanitarian crises
associated with armed conflict. In the Colombian case, it has been verified what has
already been widely observed: sexual violence against women is used as a strategy of war
by all armed actors. In the Colombian case, and despite progress in adopting general
measures, there is still a lack of care protocols that recognize the particularities of
Afro-Colombian and indigenous women who have been victims of sexual violence.
Prevention and Protection of Children (Afro-Colombian Children and Adolescents,
especially against consumption of Psychoactive substances and recruitment to
armed groups and criminal gangs). The different expressions of violence have been
affecting our children and adolescents through the lack of programs that allow addressing
this in a comprehensive manner, recognizing their extreme vulnerability, converting them
from victims to perpetrators as the only alternative for living. Priority is required to adopt
programs for personal, family and community development.
Strengthening the autonomy of communities is a necessary condition for the
strengthening of government institutions to lead to the protection and restoration of
minorities affected by a humanitarian crisis. Colombia had had a huge investment of
resources to strengthen institutions. The results of this investment are very limited. The
Colombian government and some actors of international cooperation continue to fail to
prioritize the strengthening of communities.
The Colombian state is about to end the military confrontation against the largest
guerrilla group. A Peace Agreement, initially rejected by a majority of Colombians through
a plebiscite, has been renegotiated. Afro-Colombian communities have supported the
political solution to the conflict, and we believe that the Peace Agreement has integrated