Colombia recognised internationally for its policies and actions in fighting human trafficking

The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, presented the annual report on human trafficking 2021 through which he informs on the efforts undertaken by 188 countries to combat human trafficking. The report recognised the full compliance of Colombia with the standards to eliminate human trafficking, the transcendental actions taken by the national government such as the adoption of the new strategy to combat human trafficking 2020-2024; the Temporary Statute of Protection for Venezuelan migrants; and the reorganization of the Intersectorial Commission for the prevention of recruitment and abuse of children and adolescents. For six consecutive years, Colombia is ranked in the first level category (Tier 1), a category that Colombia shares in the Americas only with other five countries, and some in Europe. Read more.

Colombia approves a new environmental law to penalise deforestation

A new law approved by the government of President Iván Duque at the end of June is meant to penalise deforestation, the promotion and financing of this illegal activity, wildlife trafficking and invasion of areas of ecological significance in Colombia. This new step in environmental policy complements the various instruments and strategies of Colombia orientated to achieve the goals of mitigating the effects of climate change, among them the ambitious target of reducing deforestation by 30% by the end of the current government's term and of planting 180 million trees by 2022. 

In the words of Minister of Environment Carlos Eduardo Correa on World Rainforest Day, "the purpose of the different strategies we are implementing is to reach 2030 with zero net deforestation and to reducing the gas emissions in a 51%, a target President Duque committed to when signing the Paris Agreement." He spoke of the new environmental law as a new instrument to protect Colombia's natural heritage.

The largest delivery of rural land titles benefiting 7,000 peasant families through the Peace with Legality policy

On July 3th, in the largest delivery of rural land titling to peasants in Colombian history, 7,000 new beneficiaries --from which nearly 50% are women-- received their title through the Land Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture of Colombia. The land formalisation process accounts as per data of May 2021 to over 24,000 titles issued and nearly 35,000 families benefited in rural areas; concrete advances through Peace with Legality policy.

The Government also recognised the central role of women in the implementation of the Peace with Legality policy, not only as beneficiaries, over 31,000 have received titling in rural areas --13,000 of them are peasants-- but as protagonists of the transformation of rural Colombia.     

PEN Award winner Colombian author to participate in the Words Ireland mentoring programme

Colombian writer Margarita García Robayo will mentor an aspiring writer residing in Ireland through the Words Ireland Mentoring Programme 2021. The PEN Award winner for her novel Holiday Heart is the second Colombian author participating in this experience, in words of Ambassador Patricia Cortés referring to the experience in 2020 with best-selling novelist Jorge Franco “this special collaboration aims to connect writers across continents and promote long-term links between the Irish and Colombian literary world.” 

The call for candidates to participate in the mentoring programme was launched on 16th June and the deadline for applications is 22nd July. For more information about the programme and the participating entities, we recommend visiting the Words Ireland website. Read more.