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What We Do
Colombia

Creating new society
after the Peace Agreement
with ex-combatants

Since the 2016 Peace Agreement, ex-combatants from insurgent groups remain marginalized, with limited progress in their social reintegration and reconciliation. We support their reintegration, foster mutual understanding with local communities, and promote reconciliation in vulnerable areas of Colombia.

In Colombia, economic disparities and political exclusion led to the rise of left-wing insurgent groups. For over 50 years, a civil war raged between these groups, government forces, and right-wing paramilitaries. The largest insurgent group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: FARC-EP), had around 20,000 fighters at its peak, conducting attacks, including assassinations, bombings, hijackings, kidnappings, and robberies against the government and military.

After the historical Peace Agreement in 2016 between Colombian government and FARC, FARC became a legitimate political party and combatants who supported the Agreement completed disarmament. However, their reintegration has been slow, with many isolated in government-run reincorporation zones (called AETCRs), facing economic and social challenges. Additionally, several issues persist: public opinion on the reintegration and reconciliation of ex-combatants is still divided, and parts of the peace agreement have yet to be fully implemented. Even more concerning, over 400 ex-combatants have been killed, heightening their fear and further hindering reconciliation in local communities.

This instability exacerbates inequality, increasing the risk of youth involvement in violence. Some ex-combatants have formed new armed groups, engaging in violent activities and drug trafficking. In addition to FARC-related groups, various other armed factions continue to operate within the country. Addressing these critical challenges is key to solidifying the peace process and achieving sustainable peace in Colombia.

Selected Activities in Colombia

We focus on strengthening reintegration support for former FARC combatants in southern Colombia, where many ex-combatants have been left behind in vulnerable conditions due to severe economic and social disparities. Specifically, we have built and operate multipurpose vocational training centers in reincorporation zones, offering care counseling, vocational training, business management workshops, life skills training, and civic education. We create an environment where both ex-combatants and local community members can receive those support together so that we encourage their mutual understanding.

Our care counseling addresses mental health issues, such as trauma from the conflict, discrimination during reintegration, and concerns about their safety following assassinations of ex-combatants. We also encourage ex-combatants to build positive attitudes toward reintegration while considering their past, present, and future aspirations.

In response to challenges like dependency on financial support by the government and difficulty utilizing acquired skills, we provide long-term vocational training and business management workshops for their economic and social independence. Life skills and civic education also cover topics such as relationship building, acceptance of diversity, gender-based violence prevention, and the role of ex-combatants in Colombia's peace process. We also provide capacity-building training for government officials to properly mentor and support ex-combatants.

To promote mutual understanding and trust, we facilitate dialogues among ex-combatants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), local communities, government agencies, and private companies, promoting to lay the foundation for long-term reconciliation.

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