Colombia on the mapThe internal armed conflict in Colombia, which has its roots in the political violence of the 1950s, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced countless more throughout its 50-year history. 
Colombia: FARC rebels march in La MacarenaLocal and indigenous communities are coming together to implement peaceful alternatives to violence. They are struggling to maintain a neutral stance between government and the armed groups, having organised themselves as “Peace Communities”. They face physical aggressions, psychological pressure, military violence, and juridical threats.
The presence and accompaniment by internationals such as those proposed by NP reduce these threats by providing an “international eye” that helps to raise their visibility and thereby increase the negative consequences of actions taken against them.
MANDATE
Support local individuals, communities and organizations that defend human rights. Through its protective presence, NP will link local peace workers to an international peace community dedicated to monitoring their human rights and protecting their safety.
OBJECTIVES
Colombia: child soldier
- Prevent the outbreak of, or mitigate new violence through the deployment of international unarmed civilian teams that assure protective presence to human rights defenders in vulnerable rural communities or "peace communities."
- Enhance the work of local peace and human rights activists through accompaniment and safe space for their work and an international early warning system reporting to international key actors about what happens on the ground.
- Facilitate the local networking among peace communities so to get increased national visibility and to contribute to a just peace.
STRATEGIES
NP will establish a team - of up to 16 international field team members in its first phase - with offices in Cali and Bogotà. They plan activities including:
Colombia: Cauca department
- Peacekeepers living in communities up to 20 days per month, regulating their presence according to the risk analysis made by NP along with local communities and organizations.
- Accompaniment of local leaders and/or organizations in their journeys and activities.
- Accompaniment / observatory periods within different communities, visiting for 2 or 3 days, returning to the base, followed by a 2 or 3-day visit to another community within the region.
- Accompaniment to meetings between communities and assemblies when the processes involved affect more than one community.
Colombia: Meta department
NP will accompany Proceso de Comunidades Negras - Black Community Process based in the municipality of the Buenos Aires communities (La Alsalcia, La Balsa and Palo Blanco) in the Cauca Region, and Asociación de Cabildos Indigenas del Norte del Cauca - Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca especially in the communities of Jambalo and Toribío in the Cauca Region. The team in Bogotá will work with the ”Peace and Justice Organization” that works together to support the “CIVIPAZ” Peace initiative of a Humanitarian Zone in the Meta Region (Alto Ariari).
OUTCOMES
Through our protective presence, NP will enable local peace groups to achieve these outcomes:
- Improve the security of national and local NGO leaders and human rights activists so they can protect their cultural and social norms and develop sustainable economic and social institutions.
- Enhance communication among these leaders so they can build their capacity to develop civil society organizations and preserve human rights.
- Secure the safe return of Internally Displaced people (IDPs).