A/HRC/59/49/Add.1 international obligations to safeguard the rights of all victims, including in the context of international migration. I. Xenophobia and discrimination 63. While the level of xenophobia in Colombia is lower in comparison to other countries in the region, instances of public xenophobic rhetoric from local authorities remain concerning. Xenophobia and discrimination experienced by migrants have a negative impact on individuals and on social cohesion. 64. Within the framework of the District Public Policy for the Reception and Inclusion of the International Migrant Population (Decree 600 of 2023), the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá has implemented various strategies to combat xenophobia and racism and to facilitate the integration of the migrant population in the city. These measures are aligned with the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. 65. The measures include the construction of an anti-discrimination narrative, which promotes a change in the discourse on migration to communicate integration processes more effectively. In a similar approach, the strengthening of social organizations led by migrants has been promoted, facilitating their active participation in civic spaces and fostering synergies with other sectors. Finally, integration scenarios have been created, whereby diverse communities can interact and generate bonds of coexistence, contributing to a reduction in prejudice and the construction of a more inclusive society. V. Situation at the border between Colombia and Panama A. Situation at the border 66. In 2024, approximately 400,000 persons left Colombia heading to Panama through the Darién region. This figure is significantly lower than the historic peak of 520,085 in 2023. In January 2025, 2,229 individuals left Colombia heading towards Panama, which represents a 94 per cent decrease compared with the same period in 2024. While over 73 per cent of those who headed north to cross the Darién region are Venezuelans, there are migrants from other countries, including China, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Viet Nam and several countries in Africa. In 2024, Colombians crossing the Darién region represented 6 per cent of the total population, the second most common nationality in the northward movement through the jungle. Despite the regularization and integration efforts of Colombia, migrants and refugees continue to move north. 67. Municipalities, local authorities and citizens have demonstrated solidarity and readiness to receive and support migrants and refugees. Many consider migration to be an opportunity for development and show willingness to ensure a safe and dignified passage for migrants travelling north. Civil society organizations, the Catholic Church and United Nations agencies and funds, within the Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela, have also responded to the humanitarian crisis through the establishment of a significant presence in Necocli and Acandí, including the provision of comprehensive services, such as information, food, water, health checks, prevention against gender-based violence and protection orientation. 68. Those who wish to travel north without legal means fall prey to trafficking networks and smugglers, linked to the self-proclaimed “Gaitanist Self-Defence Forces of Colombia” or Gulf Clan, a criminal group that controls and operates the means of transportation. Based on the information received, the Gulf Clan also subjects migrants to extortion, violence, sexual and gender-based violence, forcible recruitment and participation in criminal activities, including drug trafficking. 69. In the absence of an effective institutional presence, migrants do not have any other option but to pay a package fee of between $300 and $400 to members of the Gulf Clan to cross from Necocli to Panama through irregular routes in the jungle of the Darién region. The 12 GE.25-06163