Canada provides support to Colombia 

The initiatives announced today by the Government of Canada will support peace efforts and will aim to reduce gender-based violence and early pregnancy rates in Colombia. In total, these projects amount to approximately $14.4 million.

Delivering Rights for Girls through Improved Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Funding announced: $10 million
Time frame: 2017 to 2023

Implemented by Profamilia, this initiative will provide Colombian youth with age-appropriate education on their rights—including sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR)—to help reduce gender-based violence and early pregnancy rates in four of Colombia’s most impoverished regions. Through this initiative, almost 8,000 girls and boys, aged 10 to 14, from 55 schools will receive training to become champions within their schools and communities to promote positive attitudes and behaviours around SRHR. The project will also train 550 teachers and 240 government officials to improve their ability to implement successful comprehensive sexuality education in schools and deliver youth-friendly and gender-responsive SRHR services.

The following four projects are funded through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs) and amount to approximately $4.4 million. The projects are aimed at supporting peace and capacity building in Colombia.

Peace Process in Colombia: Building Confidence in Transitional Justice
Funding announced: $2 million
Time frame: March 2017 to March 2019

Transitional justice arrangements are a key component of the peace agreement in Colombia. Canada is supporting the Victims’ Chapter of the agreement through a project with Lawyers without Borders to support civil society and Colombia’s government with the implementation and monitoring of transitional justice mechanisms. This project will contribute to building the confidence of Colombian society, particularly of women and girls, in the transitional justice system and contribute to the reaffirmation of the rule of law.

Support to the Transformation of the Colombian Army
Funding announced: $297,000
Time frame: February 2017 to March 2018

Transforming Colombia’s army into a professional peacetime force is fundamental to the establishment of a durable peace in the country. Canada is supporting this process through funding strategic analysis exercises and sharing regional experiences and lessons learned on security sector transformations in other countries. This project supports the efforts of the Colombian National Army in their transformation into a peacetime institution.

Strengthening the National Center for Historical Memory in Readiness for the establishment of the Truth Commission
Funding announced: $1.2 million
Time frame: March 2017 to December 2018

Truth and reconciliation initiatives have been a proven and effective component in peace processes worldwide. Canada is supporting this process in Colombia through funding the National Center for Historical Memory’s project to recognize the impact of the conflict on individuals, which will lay the basis for the establishment of a truth commission under Colombia’s peace agreement.

Deployment of a Government of Canada Expert to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia
Funding announced: $850,000
Time frame: October 2017 to August 2019

Through the PSOPs Civilian Deployment Platform, the Government of Canada will make an in-kind contribution for a two-year deployment of a Canadian expert to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia. The expert will support the OHCHR’s monitoring of the human rights aspects of Colombia’s Peace Process, by providing strategic and technical advice on economic, social and cultural rights. Additional expertise to be provided includes analysis of human rights violations resulting from gender-based violence and guidance on the implementation of gender mainstreaming strategies.

The following two initiatives take place through the Canadian Police Arrangement (CPA), a partnership between Global Affairs Canada, Public Safety Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. A combined total of up to 10 Canadian police will be deployed in these projects.

Canadian Police Participation in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia
Time frame: February 2017 to March 2019

Through the CPA, Canada deployed two police officers as observers to the first United Nations Mission in Colombia in February 2017. That mission has transitioned to a second: the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. One of the Canadian police officers deployed to the first mission will extend into the second as a continuation of the Government of Canada’s support for the implementation of the historic peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Bilateral Police Initiative between Canadian and Colombian Police

The governments of Canada and Colombia are developing a bilateral police initiative to support police capacity building for the post-conflict environment in Colombia. Through the CPA, Canadian police will deploy to Colombia to provide training, capacity building and strategic advice to the National Police of Colombia and the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia. The areas of focus under discussion include police capacities and needs related to improving citizen security in rural Colombia in the post-conflict context, with a focus on gender.

Canada and Pacific Alliance project to strengthen greenhouse gas and short-lived climate-pollutant emissions measurement, reporting and verification
Funding announced: $1.6 million
Time frame: 2017 to 2021

The project will support the implementation of the Paris Agreement by helping the Pacific Alliance develop measurable, reportable and verifiable data to strengthen climate action. The $1.6-million project will help the Pacific Alliance countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) to reduce climate pollutants and attract investment to support climate change actions. The project will explore the potential of blockchain technology to reduce costs and strengthen emissions data collection, which could help attract investment for emission-reduction initiatives. The non-profit International Emissions Trading Association, in partnership with Canadian company ClimateCHECK, will manage the funds on behalf of Canada.