In Colombia the 50 year armed conflict continues to disproportionately affect women. Armed actors on all sides – the security forces, paramilitaries, and the guerrilla – have sexually abused and exploited women. Women are targeted to sow terror within communities to gain control of the area; to force people to flee their homes and abandon their land; to punish the community for links with the enemy or for sexual exploitation.
Campaign against sexual violence>>
In southern Colombia, a traditional stronghold of the FARC guerrillas, CAFOD’s church partner, Pastoral Social San Vicente de Caguán is bringing together women to raise awareness of their rights and to speak out against violence against women in the armed conflict and in their homes. Pastoral Social is the only organisation that is able to reach some of the communities most affected by the armed conflict, making their work even more important.
About the author: Barbara Davies is CAFOD’s Programme Officer for Colombia and Peru.
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