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Situation of human rights in Colombia - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/43/3/Add.3) (Advance Edited Version)

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Human Rights Council
Forty-third session
24 February–20 March 2020
Agenda item 2
Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the
High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

Summary

The present report assesses the human rights situation in Colombia in 2019, with a focus on the situation of human rights defenders, the use of the military in situations related to public security, the fight against impunity, and inequalities in the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. It also assesses the implementation of the human rights aspects of the Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP). The report puts forward recommendations to contribute to improving the human rights situation.

I. Introduction

  1. The present report assesses the human rights situation in Colombia between 1 January and 31 December 2019. As per the Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, signed between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People’s Army (FARC-EP) (Peace Agreement), the report also assesses the implementation of human rights aspects of the Peace Agreement related to transitional justice, security guarantees, comprehensive rural reform and victims´ rights.

  2. In 2019, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia conducted 1,151 field missions, 376 capacity-building activities for State institutions and civil society, and followed up on 250 cases of alleged human rights violations.

  3. OHCHR provided technical assistance to State institutions at the national, departmental and municipal levels, notably the Office of the Ombudsman, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Procurator General, the Ministry of Defence and the National Land Agency. It also collaborated with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and the Inter-American Human Rights System.

  4. On 30 October, the host country agreement between the Government and OHCHR was renewed until 31 October 2022.

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