Colombia is, after Afghanistan, the country with the second highest number of new victims of Antipersonnel Mines and Explosive Remnants of War per year. It suffers from widespread presence of explosive hazards due to more than fifty years of on-going armed conflict, involving various Armed Non-State Actors. Over 12’000 casualties (60% military and 40% civilians; 5% women; 10% children) have been officially recorded between 1990 and 2021.

Incidents with explosive hazards have increased after the 2016 Peace Agreement, affecting mainly civilians. ANSAs install antipersonnel mines of an improvised nature – banned by International Humanitarian Law – as part of their strategies to combat the national military, police forces and other actors, and to control territories and strategic corridors in rural areas, including ethnic territories.

Such contamination and its unique complexity pose a threat to the population and continuously injures and kills people. It causes confinements and displacements, impedes return of internally displaced people and hinders access to land and basic services (water, education, health). In short, mine presence blocks basic rights and socio economic development. It also affects humanitarian space and access and is an impediment to sustainable peace.

In line with the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle, the focus will be on heavily contaminated rural areas of 13 departments and 19 municipalities, with high humanitarian needs and development challenges, which have been prioritized in the Peace Agreement. It includes ethnic territories (indigenous and afro-Colombian) suffering multiple affectation (migration/displacement, natural disasters, COVID-19, disabilities).

Direct beneficiaries:

• 10’460 people (47% women and 53% male) of mine-affected communities; including 2’300 survivors and people with disabilities, and their caretakers (mainly women).
• 90 ex-combatants.
• National and regional survivors’ network.
• National Authority and local authorities involved in MA and development processes (250 public servants).
• 2 national MA NGOs (Campaña Colombiana contra Minas (CCCM) and Humanicemos)

Indirect beneficiaries: 210,862 people are estimated to require humanitarian assistance related to Mine Action in the 13 prioritized departments

1. Strengthening capacity of MA stakeholders (National Authority, local authorities, national and international partners on the ground, and communities) to implement Colombia’s Strategic MA Plan 2020-2025.
2. Addressing protection and humanitarian needs of mine-affected populations (victims, caretakers, communities) through Mine Risk Education, Victim Assistance and Humanitarian Demining.
3. Promoting recovery, resilience and improvement of socioeconomic conditions of mine-affected and cleared communities through access to basic services and durable solution (applying the triple nexus between development, humanitarian actions, and peace promotion).
4. Supporting Policy Dialogue and Advocacy on Public Policies, in coordination with partners and donors.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Output 1.1 Technical assistance to MA National Authority, local authorities, local organizations and the humanitarian architecture.

Output 1.3 Capacity building for national partners, civil organizations, survivors’ networks and mine-affected communities; empowering the role of women.

Output 1.4 Impact evaluation of future and previous Swiss contributions, in line with the MA Sector methodologies. Capacity building.

Output 2.1 Comprehensive responses to mine-affected communities (protection, recovery and durable solutions) in coordination with authorities.

Output 2.2. Victim Assistance and rehabilitation of survivors and people with disabilities;

Output 2.3 Land release through demining;

Output 3.1 Individual and community initiatives for socio economic recovery (productive projects, reconciliation, rehabilitation).

Output 4.1 Quality policy dialogue with stakeholders, impacting decision-making.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

SDC has been contributing to MA in Colombia since 2005.

Cooperation Strategy 17–20 key results:

• 385’000 m² cleared and currently used collectively and for individual associative productive projects.
• 1’800 survivors/victims, people with disabilities and their caretakers (45% women), improved their socioeconomic and health conditions.
• 12’000 persons improved their knowledge about risks posed by landmines.
• Strengthening of the MA National Authority.
• Support of MA activities through the UN-Multi-Partner Trust Fund (inc. reincorporation of former ex-members of FARC-EP through Humanicemos NGO).

• National Mine Action Authority: Office of the High Commissioner for Peace of the Presidency of the Republic (OACP).
• Other national institutions: the High Commissioner for Stabilization, Unit for Assistance and Reparation of the Victims (UARIV); Ministry of Health; the Ombudsman's Office; Ministry of the Defense.
• Local institutions: Mayor’s Offices, Local Governments, Municipal administrations; Ombudsman Field offices.
• Community Based Organizations and survivors’ networks.
• Community ethnic councils and guards (indigenous and afro-colombian).
• Other humanitarian and development actors: the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and UNICEF.
• Other actors of the MA Sector: civilian and military operators, Organization of American States (OAS), Donors and peace funds (inc. UN-MPTF).
• DPDH, SECO and the Political Division of the Embassy.