October 9, Bogotá- In an effort to contribute to the greater exercise of the right to truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition by victims of serious human rights violations committed during the armed conflict in Colombia, Lawyers Without Borders Canada (ASFC) proudly inaugurated the “Justice, Gender and Peacebuilding” project at an event held today at the Canadian Embassy in Colombia.
The project has two main focuses: “Justice for Peace” and “Citizen Contribution to Peacebuilding”. The first aims to contribute to improving the effectiveness of justice actors in guaranteeing legal representation and attention to victims of serious human rights violations, as well as the repression of such violations. The second focus area aims to encourage a greater contribution from civil society to peace-building mechanisms through approaches based on human rights, gender and identity.
The project, funded by the Government of Canada, will be implemented in the departments of Antioquia, Cesar, Chocó, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Santander and Valle del Cauca, and will benefit people in vulnerable situations, particularly indigenous women and girls and people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity. The project will be implemented in collaboration with civil society organizations.
“With this project, we hope to contribute to the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth Report and the conclusions of transitional justice from a territorial, ethno-cultural and gender perspective, and thus contribute to the respect of the rights of people in vulnerable situations, particularly women,” said Stelsie Angers, ASFC’s national director in Colombia.
About Lawyers Without Borders Canada:
Lawyers Without Borders Canada is an international cooperation non-governmental organization that has been contributing for 20 years to the implementation of the human rights of people in vulnerable situations by strengthening access to justice and legal representation. www.asfcanada.ca/en
Media contact:
Humberto Rodriguez
humberto.rodriguez@asfcanada.ca