FUNDACIÓN PAZ Y RECONCILIACIÓN

Published purpose

This project aims to support women and youth in the Colombian departments of Arauca and Catatumbo, which border Venezuela, to participate in current peace efforts under the Government of Colombia’s Total Peace Policy and to increase community-based support for advocating their inclusion and reduction of violence. Project activities include: (1) providing training to youth and women social leaders from Catatumbo and Arauca to improve their capacities in communication and advocacy techniques aimed at addressing peace challenges in the Colombia-Venezuela border region; (2) conducting working sessions with these leaders to identify bottlenecks, challenges and opportunities for reducing violence; (3) training women and youth social leaders to enhance their research capabilities; (4) supporting grassroots women’s and youth organizations to conduct and publish community-based and gender-sensitive research on challenges and opportunities for addressing violence in the target border regions and present findings and recommendations to local, regional, and national governments; and (5) developing and implementing an advocacy and gender-inclusive communication strategy to prevent human rights violations and ensure protection aimed at local, regional, and national institutions responsible for Total Peace policies and local civil society organizations, including women and youth organizations.