2010 UNHCR country operations profile - Colombia

Working environment

The context

Forced displacement remains a challenge in Colombia, where by mid-2009 the number of officially registered internally displaced persons (IDPs) rose to more than three million. There is also a steady flow of Colombians seeking protection in neighbouring countries and other parts of the world. Most forced displacement has resulted from the long-lasting conflict, widespread violence and the illegal production of coca.

While many security-related indicators have improved at the national level, the number of IDPs registered annually has increased to some 300,000 in 2007 and 2008. Over the past few years, the conflict has moved away from urban centres towards remote, less populated areas, such as lowlands, jungles and border regions.

Certain parts of the country are much more affected by displacement than others. In recent years, ten per cent of all the districts in Colombia have generated more than 60 per cent of the forced displacement. The areas mostly affected are located along the Pacific Coast, including in Cauca, Chocó and Nariño, as well as in Arauca, Antioquia, Guaviare and Sur de Bolivar.

The receiving areas are also highly concentrated, with 82 per cent of IDPs hosted in less than 10 per cent of the districts, mostly in large urban centres. Urban displacement in Colombia is characterized by "intra-urban" movements, with IDPs moving from one neighbourhood to the next in search of protection.

The needs

Providing protection continues to be one of the most pressing challenges in Colombia. The security conditions for IDPs remain difficult due to threats and other forms of intimidation, with the targeted killing of IDP leaders and the rape of women causing further displacement.

A limited response capacity to address the needs of displaced women and girls, the lack of security in return areas, difficulties in accessing land, and limited opportunities for work or other economic options, hamper possibilities for durable solutions.

The national response to IDP issues has improved over the past couple of years and the annual budget dedicated by the Government to displacement issues now stands at more than USD 550 million. However, serious gaps remain in the implementation of the comprehensive legal framework governing the rights of displaced people. For instance, national programmes do not receive sufficient funding at the local level, and where resources do exist, they are often not used due to a lack of technical capacity or political will. In addition, more than 60 per cent of the funds are tied up in subsidies, leaving little flexibility for the local authorities to adapt to local needs.

Main objectives

The main goal of UNHCR is to ensure that IDPs and those at risk of displacement are able to enjoy their rights under Colombian and international law, focusing on the following priorities:

Favourable protection environment

• Improve the implementation of key public policies at the local level, to facilitate access to services for IDPs.

• Ensure that Government policies recognize the varying needs of displaced people of different age, gender and ethnic background.

• Prevent displacement by setting up better early warning systems, encouraging a more informed approach by the national armed forces, enhancing the humanitarian space and ensuring the presence of civilian state institutions in key displacement zones.

Fair protection processes

• Improve registration by reducing processing times and increasing the reliability of the national IDP registry.

• Improve the land registry system and legal framework to allow IDPs and those at risk of displacement to hold title to their land.

• Strengthen the capacity of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities to defend their rights, and improve the protection afforded to them by the authorities.

• Improve border monitoring capacity and the protection of bi-national indigenous groups.

Key targets for 2010

• Some 80 percent of the Government resources assigned for displacement issues in 2010 are utilized.

• Fifteen action plans for IDPs or communities at risk of displacement are developed. At least half of them are implemented, benefiting at least 7,000 people.

• Guidelines on integrating displaced children, youth, people with disabilities and older people into Government programmes are published by four ministries and implemented at the national and local levels.

• Some 300,000 hectares of land belonging to displaced people or those at risk of displacement are protected.

• Approximately 100,000 displaced Colombians or those at risk of displacement receive national identification documents, including at least 40 per cent indigenous or Afro-Colombian IDPs.

• Action plans to ensure that displaced children have access to the education system are implemented in at least five regions. More than 50,000 displaced children are newly integrated into the education system.

• Concepts related to the prevention of displacement and the protection of displaced people are incorporated into the training for armed forces and tested for at least 500 officers.

• Ten prevention and protection plans for indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities at risk of displacement are prepared at the national and local levels.

• A regional border strategy, including 10 bi-national initiatives, benefits at least 5,000 people.

Strategy and activities

In 2010, UNHCR will focus on the community level, ensuring that national public policy has a positive impact on individual IDPs and those at risk of displacement. The Office will also seek to improve prevention mechanisms and the protection environment by strengthening the national legal framework through advocacy campaigns, assistance in policy formulation and implementation, and initiatives aimed at mitigating the risk of forced displacement. The Office will conduct civil documentation campaigns and seek to improve the national IDP registration system.

In order to improve the security of displaced people, the Office will take initiatives to prevent sexual and gender-based violence, and advocate for the integration of displaced children and youth into state programmes and legal services. It will also seek to integrate older IDPs and those with disabilities into state programmes, emergency shelter activities, and HIV and AIDS initiatives. Community mobilization and the implementation of public policies at the local level will be enhanced by strengthening IDP organizations.

In the field of durable solutions, the Office will implement land protection initiatives, improve relocation programmes, apply voluntary return protocols, and provide technical assistance to promote local integration.

Constraints

To achieve UNHCR's goals in Colombia, the national and local authorities need to have the political will to address displacement issues and preserve humanitarian space. Both are fundamental requirements, given that the Office focuses primarily on supporting the State in its protection responsibilities and because many of UNHCR's interventions depend on field missions to remote zones.

The changing nature of the conflict constitutes a serious security constraint for humanitarian actors. The weak presence of civilian authorities in isolated rural areas hampers UNHCR's efforts to improve protection by reinforcing state structures.

Organization and implementation

The nature of UNHCR's work in Colombia requires sustained engagement at both the central and local levels to assist in the building of institutional and organizational capacity, the protection of communities, and in advocating on displacement and humanitarian issues.

In 2010, UNHCR will strengthen its community-based approach to ensure that a decade of advances in the development of public policies has a concrete impact at the local level. It will open new field units in areas at high risk for displacement, such as Barrancabermeja, Buenaventura and San José del Guaviare. The field office currently responsible for the Bogota metropolitan area will be relocated to Neiva, to cover the severely affected departments of Caquetá, Huila and Tolima.

Coordination

The implementation of the 2010-2011 IDP strategy relies heavily on collaboration with UNHCR's primary Government counterpart, Acción Social. The Office will prioritize its cooperation with national entities, such as ministries, agencies and regional and local administrations. Of particular importance is the strengthening of relations with indigenous and Afro-Colombian organizations, such as the Organización Nacional de Indígenas de Colombia. Similarly important is the coordination with IDP- and community-based groups, particularly those comprising women and youth.

Financial information

During the last years, UNHCR has received increased support from the international community to strengthen its operation in Colombia. UNHCR has increased its presence by opening new offices and building a protection network that covers most conflict-affected areas in the country. In 2010, the financial requirements are growing as a result of the comprehensive needs assessment.

Source: UNHCR Global Appeal 2010-2011