HIGHLIGHTS
Ombudsman’s Office presented the report Voices and Opportunities for Children and Adolescents in Peace-Building in Colombia.
El Niño has reached the strong-intensity category with humanitarian consequences.
UNDP analyzes potential risks of election fraud and violence during local elections.
FIGURES
No. of IDPs in mass events. Sept. 2015 (OCHA): 1,074
No. of people affected by access and mobility constraints. Sept. 2015 (OCHA): 57,075
FUNDING
US$85,382,796
2015 humanitarian funding being implemented as of 20 Oct. 2015 (OCHA 4W)
Children’s voices in peacebuilding
By UNICEF Colombia
On National Human Rights Day in Colombia (9 September), the Ombudsman’s Office, with the support of UNICEF and COALICO1 presented in a public event its report Transitional Justice: Voices and Opportunities for Children and Adolescents in PeaceBuilding in Colombia.
The report focuses on children and adolescents, who represent more than 30 per cent of the victims of armed conflict in Colombia. The report aims to help avoid the mistakes of the past. It explains that all the society can contribute so that children and adolescents, who continue to be victims of the conflict, see their rights repaired in the best possible way.
The report approaches transitional justice from the perspective of experiences in Colombia and internationally, with the objective of compiling lessons learned from children’s points of view. Two important reference points in the report relate to the demobilization process of paramilitary groups, together with the Justice and Peace Law of 2005 (Law 975) and the Victim’s Law of 2011 (Law 1448).
In the report, the Ombudsman’s Office considers the voices of children and adolescents: we need to know from them what works and what doesn’t work, what is lacking in the current context, and what they want for themselves and other children who have suffered throughout this long conflict.
The report contains analysis, with updated figures, of the principal violations of the rights of children in the framework of the armed conflict, based on six categories established by the United Nations Security Council. Forced displacement was also included. The report also analyses the implementation of current public policies on the rights of children and adolescents, taking into account the 10 principles for victims defined at the negotiating table in Havana.
The report formulates recommendations for a minimum humanitarian agreement that contributes to peacebuilding from the perspective of the rights of children and adolescents. Recommendations are directed to the Government and relevant institutions, including the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and Agencia Colombiana para la Reintegración. The report also makes specific recommendations to FARC-EP, which could also be applicable to other non-State armed groups.
Key recommendations include:
Release all children and adolescents who have been recruited. Consider them as victims.
Establish effective mechanisms to reduce impunity in case of violations of children’s and adolescents’ rights.
Guarantee truth, justice, full reparation and non-repetition for children and adolescents, focusing on their superior interest and the prevalence of their rights.
Ensure the participation of children and adolescents in all issues that affect them.
Guarantee adequate psychosocial accompaniment for children and adolescents to support the rebuilding of their life projects.