Colombia: The UN will cooperate in the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth Commission

He Human Rights Council of the United Nations approved this Thursday a resolution to strengthen the guarantee of human rights and the construction of peace In colombia.

With 28 votes in favor and 19 abstentions, the adoption of the text promoted by Colombia itself and almost 40 countries provides for an increase in UN technical assistance to develop the capacities that allow the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition.

To the letter, the text asks the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights “to provide and intensify its technical assistance” to national and local authorities for a renewable period of two years to implement those recommendations.

According to the document, through its Human Rights Office in the South American country, the UN would cooperate with governments at all levels so that all relevant instances dedicate special attention to the victims and apply a gender perspective “that takes into account ethnic origins and their different needs.

Such support for government work will be carried out “in the areas of investigation of human rights violations and abuses, breaches of international humanitarian law and corruption, human rights and security sector reform, protection of social leaders and human rights defenders”, as well as in the “definition and elaboration of a public policy for a culture of peace”, explains the resolution.

international expert

In addition, the resolution requests the Council to name as soon as possible an international human rights expert tasked with identifying and verifying obstacles to the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement, as well as the consequences of those difficulties for the full enjoyment of human rights under international law and domestic law to peace enshrined in the Political Constitution of Colombia.

The expert too should make recommendations and submit a report to the Council before the end of 2023.

The resolution recognizes the commitment shown by Colombia and Latin America and the Caribbean with the consolidation of a permanent peace based on “equal rights, economic equity and social justice for all.”

In addition, it highlights the positive role of civil society and human rights defenders in promoting these guarantees and attests to the Colombian government’s policy of collaboration with international human rights organizations and entities, recalling that the High Commissioner has had a permanent office in the country since 1997 performing monitoring and technical assistance functions.

Juliette Rivero, representative in the country of the UN High Commissioner, was present at the session of the Human Rights Council, who affirmed that thanks to the resolution, work to protect human rights activists throughout Colombia will be strengthened.

“We are going to better accompany the reforms to the security system, and the integration of a human rights approach,” he declared.