Projects funded under the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security

SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

Protecting and empowering displaced people in Colombia

Implementing Agency
UNHCR

Collaborating Partners
Local NGOs, community-based actors and organizations.

Objective
This project aims to increase the organizational capacity of IDP associations so that they can better represent individual IDPs. It also aims to enhance access to basic services and entitlements; to facilitate self-reliance through socio-economic stabilization activities; and to consolidate self-protection mechanisms of at-risk and displaced indigenous communities.

Beneficiaries
Vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and their communities and associations, as well as displaced indigenous communities.

Activities

• Provide material support to IDP associations.
• Organize training workshops and information campaigns to expand IDP knowledge on their rights and entitlements and increase their access to basic services through IDP associations.
• Support crop production in IDP communities and enhance food security amongst vulnerable IDP households.
• Promote income-generating and productive projects initiated and drafted by IDP associations.

Outputs (including distinctive aspects of the project)

• Training sessions and workshops were organized on gender equity issues, reproductive health, IDP rights, pyscho-social support, and income generation to benefit local IDP associations and NGOs.
• Support was provided to 30 indigenous leaders of Chocó in the development of an agenda to prevent displacement and reinforce their self-protection mechanism.
• IDP families' food security was enhanced in several communities through agricultural training, and setting up of community gardens, which benefited approximately 1440 individuals in Alto Andagueda, 120 households in La Castorba y Futuro and communities in Alto Atrato.
• Vocational and life skills training sessions were developed in support of youths and youth IDP associations.
• Approximately 5,900 IDPs benefited from free legal assistance in 2005, thanks to training provided to students of universities associated in the project.
• A national forum of around 80 national, regional and local IDPs organization was facilitated to promote a representative national mechanism to enhance democratic participation and effective interlocution with State authorities.

Other projects in South and Central America

• Empowering women and girls at risk - El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras. [More...]

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