Context
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), around 5.7 million people have been internally displaced in Colombia since the mid-1980s. This is the result of decades of armed conflict between the state, various illegitimate paramilitary groups, and drug producers and smugglers. Since 2011, legislation has been in place to enable the collective reintegration or resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in stable locations. However, local authorities are frequently overwhelmed by the task of implementing agreed measures for compensation and collective resettlement. Moreover, discrimination, violence and marginalisation are often part of everyday life for IDPs in host communities. These problems are particularly prevalent among rural farming groups, indigenous people and Afro-Colombians. The social and productive livelihoods of returning IDPs and host communities have not yet been secured.
Objective
The social and productive livelihoods of returning IDPs and host communities in selected regions have improved.
Approach
The project works in the Departments of Córdoba and Guaviare. It promotes the capacity development of local actors in the areas of participatory planning and the joint development of social infrastructure and also promotes measures to ensure food and nutrition security and improve income and economic independence. In addition, it supports the integration of IDPs who have been resettled in host communities by raising awareness of approaches to the non-violent resolution of social conflict and measures aimed at strengthening social cohesion. Local actors are given access to state funds.
Efforts are made to reach the Jiw, Nükak and Sikuani indigenous nomadic groups in Guaviare, whose cultural and physical existence is under threat, through individuals they trust who have a deep understanding of the sensitivities of these groups.
In its support for ongoing resettlement processes, the project focuses on the needs of both IDPs and host communities. It contributes to improving the lives of all those involved by completing and implementing resettlement plans. Successful models are documented and made available to other Departments and at the national level for future processes.
The project improves the ability of displaced persons to help themselves at the individual, family and group levels, while phasing out ‘donor-recipient mentality’ approaches. In doing so, it focuses on the numerous households headed by single women.
For state institutions, non-governmental organisations and international donor organisations at the local level, access to state funding lines is improved and cooperation in the development and implementation of resettlement and reintegration plans is coordinated.