Colombia

Women remain on the frontlines of political, legal, and social advocacy, while continuing to shoulder heightened risks of displacement, violence, and assassination. Competition over illicit economies—including coca production, illegal mining, and trafficking routes—continues to fuel localized violence and leave women and girls exposed to forced recruitment, sexual violence, and restrictions on mobility. Rising conflict also impedes women’s ability to earn income, and worsens food insecurity which remains severe and uneven. Women-headed households are particularly vulnerable to mass displacement, as they are forced to flee direct violence and, in some cases, to prevent the forced recruitment of their children into armed groups. 

The impacts of ongoing insecurity are compounded by the challenges of implementing the gender-sensitive provisions of the 2016 Peace Agreement, which remain under-implemented. Up to 40 percent of FARC’s 20,000 combatants were female; the demobilization and reintegration of these women remain fraught, with many forced into traditional gender roles and unable to provide for their families. Concern for the safety of former combatant women also persists, as at least 12 ex-FARC women signatories to the 2016 Peace Agreement have been murdered. Women human rights and environmental defenders continue to face harassment, sexual violence, and assassination when speaking out, with Indigenous, Afro-Colombian, and LGBTQ+ people especially threatened; Colombia remains among the deadliest places for environmental rights defenders, and these risks are compounded by  armed groups expanding operations into fragile ecosystems. Amid a complex risk environment, however, Colombia’s diverse network of women-led civil society organizations continues to advance progress by defending the environment, driving accountability efforts, and implementing peace at local and national levels.  

The narrow victory of right-wing presidential candidate Abelardo De La Espriella—who campaigned on a hardline approach to security—signals a potential departure from negotiated peace toward a more militarized security agenda. As De La Espriella’s administration takes shape in a highly polarized political environment, his rhetoric raises concerns about continued implementation of the gender provisions of the 2016 Peace Agreement, including commitments to women’s meaningful participation, gender-responsive reintegration, and protections for those affected by conflict.

Colombia’s President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has faced criticism over misogynistic and sexist rhetoric during the election cycle, including harassment of a female journalist and statements about women voters which a judge ruled to be “political violence based on gender”. De la Espriella’s campaign featured frequent attacks on the press, including women journalists, raising concerns that his presidency may create a more hostile environment for women leaders, journalists, and activists.

Colombia’s presidential election occurred amid deep political polarization and a surge in violence, including attacks against political figures, armed group activity, alleged voter intimidation, and insecurity. The narrow victory of right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who promises to crackdown on armed groups, organized crime, and drug trafficking, signals a potential departure from negotiated peace approaches toward a more hardline security-focused agenda. This shift risks undermining implementation of the gender provisions of Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement, which emphasize women’s meaningful participation, gender-responsive reintegration, and protections for women affected by conflict.

President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s victory signals a shift in Colombia’s environmental agenda, with his administration promising to renew oil and gas extraction and expand development projects in environmentally sensitive areas such as the Amazon. This comes as Colombia faces growing climate pressures, including heat risks across several major cities and increasing strain on environmental resources. For women and girls—particularly those in indigenous, rural and climate-vulnerable communities—potential setbacks may deepen existing inequalities by increasing exposure to extreme heat, displacement, food and water insecurity, and unpaid care burdens.

Colombia is facing severe and uneven food insecurity, affecting nearly one in three households. Surging violence and territorial control by armed groups have intensified physical and economic barriers to food access, particularly in rural areas. At the same time, Colombia hosts the world’s second-largest population of people internally displaced due to conflict, with approximately 7.2 million people having been forced to flee their homes. Women-headed households—which make up half of households in Colombia—Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, and rural populations face compounded risks as displacement, poverty, and insecurity deepen existing inequalities and heighten vulnerability to acute food insecurity.

Armed groups in Colombia continue to forcibly recruit girls, who account for roughly 30 percent of child recruits. Girls from poor and rural communities are commonly targeted—increasingly through social media—by armed groups promising financial security and protection. Those who return back to their communities—particularly survivors of sexual violence—frequently face heightened stigma and community rejection,making it difficult to seek support. At the same time, women who search for disappeared or forcibly recruited relatives face heightened risks of harassment, threats, and intimidation, underscoring the broader climate of insecurity and impunity surrounding enforced recruitment and disappearance.

Colombia’s passage of the first bill in Latin America banning female genital mutilation (FGM) marks a historic step toward eliminating a severe form of gender-based violence. The law establishes prevention, monitoring, and community-based response measures aimed at eradicating FGM. For women and girls, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities, the legislation represents a critical protection gain by strengthening state commitments to bodily autonomy and reducing risks of lifelong physical and psychological harm, though effective implementation and culturally sensitive outreach will be essential to ensure sustained impact.