The All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group (PHRG), in conjunction with ABColombia and CAFOD, held this panel event for Parliamentarians to hear about the latest developments in the Colombian peace process.

We would like to thank Diana Johnson MP for chairing this event.

The event featured the following speakers:

• Liney Conteras, Association of Women Victims of the Armed Conflict (“LC”);
• Hildemaro Cruz Borja, Member of the Pastoral Social in Apartado Antioquia (“HCB”);
• Maria Nuvia Vera Londono, Representative of the peasant farmer community of Paquemas (“MNVL”);
• Archie Young, Head of South America Section and Deputy Head of the Americas, FCO (“AY”);
• Louise Winstanley, Programme and Advocacy Manager, ABColombia (“LW”).

The main points raised by the speakers were:

• Women human rights defenders in particular continue to face huge risks, as many are threatened and some even murdered. (LC)
• Psycho-social support for victims of Colombia’s long-standing conflict has been severely lacking. (LC)
• After being forced from their land by an armed group, Maria Nuvia’s community won their rights to land on paper, but they still do not have proper access to it, or to basic services to enable them to live there. (MNVL)
• Communities want collective land restitution, rather than restitution of land for families on an individual basis. (MNVL)
• Hilde accompanies human rights defenders (HRDs) in Colombia. Attacks against HRDs have risen recently and many of them live in a state of constant fear. (HCB)
• In the areas where Hilde works, there are still many armed groups present and active, presenting a huge danger to civil society. (HCB)
• The UK Government is working closely with the Colombian Government and Colombian civil society to progress the peace agenda in the country. (AY)
• The Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) is one way through which the UK Government works with organisations at the local level to empower victims. (AY)
• The UK Government is also developing a protocol for the protection of HRDs. (AY)
• Conflict in Colombia is centred in rural areas, so peace-building has to focus on these areas as a priority. (LW)
• Impunity for attacks against HRDs is extremely high and must be a priority issue for the Colombian Government to address. (LW)
• The UK Government can support peace in Colombia by acting as mediators in the peace- building process, as well as providing more support for the victims of the conflict.

The PHRG campaigns extensively on human rights in Colombia, and will continue to follow the peace process closely.