There will be no peace in Colombia as long as there is social segregation, says UN expert

At the conclusion of a visit to Colombia, the United Nations poverty expert* declared on Wednesday that peace in the country can only be achieved by addressing class divisions and the widespread discrimination faced by people living in poverty.

The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights** considered that poverty is fuelling the current conflict in the country, and has severely limited its socio-economic development, with “extraordinarily high” human and environmental costs.

Olivier De Schutter stressed that unless poverty eradication becomes a priority for Colombian society, regardless of income level, “The vicious cycle of poverty and conflict will continue, and the country will never know peace.“.

Easy target for armed group recruitment

The expert said that the lack of employment opportunities makes people living in poverty an “easy target” for recruitment by non-state armed groups, and the lack of viable alternatives for coca growers “is leaving them no other option than to continue with illicit crops.”

The conflict is also one of the main causes of poverty in the country, De Schutter said, as these groups force people to leave their homes and lands for fear of being caught in the crossfire, or by forcibly confining them to their homes, making it impossible for them to go to school, work or health centres.

“Throughout Colombia, criminal gangs are also emptying the coffers of small businesses through “vaccines” and the pockets of desperate people through “gota a gota” or “paga diarios.”

Institutionalized social segregation

The prisoner also expressed concern about the social stratification system, according to which neighborhoods are ranked from 1 (the poorest) to 6 (the richest), and described the planning policy as “institutionalized social segregation” because it constitutes a major obstacle to eradicating poverty and achieving peace.

“Although the idea that residents of the strata highs pay more for their public services in order to subsidize those in the lower strata low “This is commendable, the unintended consequence has been to keep people locked in their neighborhoods and municipalities,” said the expert.

In this regard, De Schutter pointed out that rich and poor people live in “separate worlds” that rarely meet.

“Considering how little people from different income groups interact in Colombia – at school, in the workplace or in public spaces – it is not surprising that a child born into a poor family takes a long time to grow up. eleven generations in earning an average salary.”

The expert also welcomed plans to abandon social stratification and move towards a Universal Income Register, and praised the government’s recent efforts to implement more progressive taxation, increase the minimum wage and improve the pension system.

He also expressed hope that the health and education reforms would be approved.

Access to credit and markets for farmers

The Special Rapporteur called for the full implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, including support for coca growers to replace crops.

“Providing farmers with financial and technical assistance is not enough to make crop substitution work,” De Schutter said. “They also need better access to credit and markets, and to get a decent price for their produce.”

He also urged the international community to support national efforts to identify human rights-based alternatives to the “war on drugs”, given the adverse impact of this policy on people living in poverty.

Authorities must support community networks

The expert visited Bogotá, Soacha, Ciudad Bolívar, Cali and Buenaventura, meeting with people living in poverty, civil society groups and government and state officials.

“From community networks that create and manage schools, libraries and water projects, to social leaders and human rights defenders risking their lives to protect others, ordinary people are stepping up to fill gaps in public services and protect the most vulnerable from the violence and hardship caused by non-state armed groups and criminal gangs,” said De Schutter.

The expert concluded that if the Colombian authorities are serious about eradicating poverty and achieving “total peace”, they should support and learn from the work of these organizations.

The special rapporteur will present his final report on Colombia to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.

Olivier De Schutter is Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights since May 2020. He was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.

Special rapporteurs, independent experts and Working Groups are part of the Special Proceduresthe general name for the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.