Press Release WILPF Colombia

Press release: Disarming life: Reflections on Resolution 1325, disarmament and women in Colombia, the latest research report of WILPF Colombia (LIMPAL)

“In the final steps of the peace negotiations taking place in Havana, it is not only important to use a gender perspective when addressing the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process, but also the high level of arms trade in the country inside and outside the armed conflict. Disarmament is not only about DDR; many femicides in Colombia are committed with small and light weapons. We go beyond the peace agreement in Havana, we look at the post-agreement scenario in order to highlight the harm that the uncontrolled traffic of arms has on society in general and particularly on women’s lives.”

Katherine Ronderos, Director, WILPF Colombia

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Colombia (LIMPAL in Spanish) presents its most recent research report, Disarming life: Reflections on Resolution 1325, disarmament and women in Colombia. The report addresses disarmament in Colombia in two levels. Firstly, at the national level, disarmament is viewed as the laying down of arms by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) following the disarmament process set at the peace talks in Havana. The monitoring process of disarmament will be tripartite; by the United Nations, the Colombian Government and FARC-EP. Secondly, at the international level, disarmament must be addressed through the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) framework, which the Colombian government has already signed but which still needs to be ratified by its Congress.  

The research presents various debates around the link of arms and women, as well as the importance of a greater transparency and trade control of arms and ammunitions. In the UNSCR 1325 framework, the report makes recommendations for a successful DDR process with a gender perspective and shows concerns about the lack of regulation in the country regarding the possession and carrying out of arms. In the final recommendations, WILPF Colombia calls on Congress to expedite the ATT’s ratification. 

The report was launched in Colombia in three cities: Bogota, Villavicencio and Cartagena. It is available to download in PDF in Spanish from their website:  www.limpalcolombia.org.

WILPF, with headquarters in New York and Geneva, is the oldest feminist pacifist organization in the world. WILPF's origins date back to WWI following an initiative by suffragist women. In 2016 WILPF marked its 101st Anniversary. A WILPF section was opened in 1998 in Colombia, where it works for the empowerment of women victims of the armed conflict in the regions of Bolivar, Meta and Bogota.

If you want to read the report in Spanish, see here >>

For more information:

Bogota: Elin Stenung (comunicaciones@limpalcolombia.org)

Cartagena: Paola Leottau (paola@limpalcolombia.org)

Villavicencio: Katherine Ronderos (Katherine.ronderos@limpalcolombia.org)

Website: www.limpalcolombia.org