Spokesperson: Niurka Piñeiro
Extract
COLOMBIA - Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons in Popayán - This week, a new centre to provide assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) opened in Popayán, the capital Cauca province.
Internal displacement as a result of the armed conflict has increased considerably over the past few years in this province located in southwestern Colombia.
Popayán was recently designated as the municipality with the greatest number of displaced persons in Cauca province. The latest statistics provided by the Social Solidarity Network or SSN (a government entity charged with assistance to IDP=B4s) registered 20,000 IDPs in Cauca; approximately 13,000 are living in Popayán.
To help strengthen institutions providing assistance to IDPs, IOM provided funds for the construction of the facilities, the acquisition of computers, economic support for the enrolment of university student interns, and for training and personnel workshops.
For its part, the Local Ombudsman's Office, the Inspector General's Office and the National Ombudsman's Office, all part of the Public Ministry, will designate an official who will work with the IDPs in need of assistance. The SSN will provide support with two professionals, one data entry specialist and office equipment.
The Mayor's office of Popayán, through the Departmental Education Secretariat, will make available an official in charge of providing pertinent solutions for individual cases. Through the Departmental Health Directorate, the Mayor's Office will also provide one official to work on the project.
Luis Alfonso Hoyos, General Director of the Social Solidarity Network; Diego Duque Bastidas, Mayor of Popayán; Diego Beltrand, IOM Chief of Mission in Colombia attended the inauguration. Other representatives from public and private entities, NGOs and 13 associations of displaced persons in Popayán were also present.
The Mayor's Office of Popayán, the Social Solidarity Network, the Public Ministry, the Government of Cauca and IOM created the UAO. IOM's support to this project is provided from funds donated by USAID.
For more information, please contact Liliana Arias, IOM Bogotá Tel: 57.1.622.7774 larias@oim.org.co