A/HRC/16/45/Add.1 I. Introduction 1. The independent expert visited Colombia between 1 and 12 February 2010 and was honoured to meet with President Álvaro Uribe Vélez and numerous senior Government representatives. She consulted leaders of Afro-Colombian communities and met directly with hundreds of community members. She thanks the Government of Colombia for its cooperation with her mandate, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals that provided information and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia for its exceptional support. Since her visit a new Government has been elected under President Juan Manuel Santos. 2. The independent expert’s evaluation of minority issues in Colombia is based on the 1992 Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (A/RES/47/135) and other relevant international standards, from which she has identified four broad areas of concern relating to minorities globally. These are: (a) the protection of minorities’ survival, through combating violence against them and preventing genocide; (b) the protection and promotion of the cultural identity of minority groups and the right of national, ethnic, religious or linguistic groups to enjoy their collective identity and to reject forced assimilation; (c) the guarantee of the rights to nondiscrimination and equality, including ending structural or systemic discrimination and the promotion of affirmative action when required; and (d) the guarantee of the right to effective participation of members of minorities in public life, especially with regard to decisions that affect them. II. Overview 3. The story of Afro-Colombians begins with slavery and gross violations of the rights of African descendants. As slaves escaped coastal plantations, they were forced to find refuge in geographically remote regions of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. They built communities and livelihoods under extreme climate conditions, in isolation and poverty. Consequently, Afro-Colombians have a special attachment to their ancestral lands, as a source of refuge and survival and the environment in which their distinct cultures have been maintained. 4. According to the 2005 census, Afro-Colombians make up 10.62 per cent (4,311,757) of the population. However, the National Statistics Department (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica – DANE) and the Ombudsman’s office acknowledge deficiencies in data gathering, stating that the actual figure is close to 25 per cent, or 10.5 million people. The census failed to accurately capture the demographic and socio-economic reality of the Afro-Colombian population1. Certain Afro-Colombian areas were considered inaccessible and population estimates replaced verified statistics. 5. The focus of the independent expert was on communities who identify as AfroColombian, Black, Raizal2 and Palenquero3. She visited Bogotá and Colombia’s 1 2 3 Census statistics from 1993 recorded only 1.5 per cent as Afro-Colombian due to the limited questioning on racial identification. The 2005 census broadened ethnic questions to allow ethnocultural self-identification as Raizal, Palenquero, Black, mulatto, Afro-Colombian or Afrodescendant. Raizal is the name given to the native population from the islands of San Andrés and Providencia. Palenquera is the name given to the Afro-descendant population of San Basilio de Palenque in the Province of Bolivar. 3