OEA/Ser.L/V/II.
Doc. 67
October 18, 2006
Original: Spanish

VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN IN THE ARMED CONFLICT IN COLOMBIA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 I.          INTRODUCTION

             A.        The on-site visit to Colombia on June of 2005

             B.        Legal framework of the report:  international norms and standards applicable
                        to discrimination and violence against women

II.         THE ARMED CONFLICT IN COLOMBIA AND ITS IMPACT ON WOMEN 

            A.         Characteristics of the Colombian armed conflict

             B.         Dynamics of the armed conflict that particularly affect women in Colombia 

III.      MANIFESTATIONS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AGGRAVATED BY THE ARMED CONFLICT

             A.        Non-combatant women – daughters, sisters, mothers, partners, and wives
                        of combatants – as direct targets or collateral victims of physical,
                        psychological and sexual violence

                         1.         The effects and consequences of violence against women on the
                                     victims

                         2.         Violence in figures

             B.         Forced displacement, the humanitarian crisis and women heads of household

             C.         Forced and voluntary recruitment of women and girls

             D.         The imposition of rules of conduct over women and girls

IV.        MULTIPLE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST AFRO-COLOMBIAN AND INDIGENOUS
             WOMEN

             A.         Afro-Colombian Women

             B.         Indigenous Women

                         1.         Indigenous women and their ancestral lands

                         2.         Indigenous women, armed conflict and sexual violence 

                         3.         Conclusion 

V.         THE RESPONSE OF THE COLOMBIAN STATE TO THE IMPACT OF THE ARMED
             CONFLICT ON WOMEN 

            A.    Advances in the development of a legislative and public policy framework, and State programs to protect the rights of women 

            B.    Absence of an integral State policy and of coordinated and multi-disciplinary services and programs to address the specific impact of the armed conflict on women

            C.   Flaws in the diagnosis and prevention of the consequences of the armed
                  conflict on women 

            D.    Homogenous perspective and view of women as a target group benefiting from
State protection and services destined to mitigate the impact of the armed
conflict on them

            E.    Gaps in the humanitarian assistance and support services for victims:
                   response to forced displacement 

            F.     Obstacles to access justice

                         1.       Deficiencies in the legal framework

                         2.       Persistence of discriminatory socio-cultural patterns

                               3.       Deficiencies in the investigation, judgment and sanction of acts of
                                  violence and discrimination on the basis of gender and in the creation
                                  of safe conditions for the reporting of crimes

             G.         The need to protect and legitimize the work of women’s rights
                         defenders

             H.         Perspectives of truth, justice and reparation

 VI.        CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Annex