Tag Archive for: Poverty In Colombia

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4 UK Charities Providing Aid in Colombia

aid in ColombiaDespite the significant strides made toward poverty reduction and the landmark 2016 Peace Agreement, inequality and violence continue to impact the lives of rural, Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. These challenges have drawn the attention of international charities and aid groups focused on the region. Several of these charities are based in the U.K. and four in particular have provided significant foreign aid and assistance in Colombia.

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has been providing aid in Colombia for more than 60 years. Through partnerships with local organizations and Indigenous leaders, it works to protect local environments, build peace and support human rights defenders and Indigenous communities. One of its most notable contributions has been supporting the people of Cajamarca in their fight against AngloGold Ashanti, one of the world’s largest mining companies.

In March 2017, 98% of Cajamarca’s residents, more than half of whom depend on farming, voted against proposed mining in the area to protect their water sources from pollution. Although the vote was legally binding, energy and government officials have tried to overturn it in favor of the mine. However, their efforts have been challenged by a legal coalition of local groups. 

These include the Cajamarca Youth Socio-Environmental Collective (COSAJUCA) and the Socio-Legal Center for Territorial Defense (SIEMBRA), both supported by CAFOD partners.

The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) has operated in Colombia since 1985, providing aid, promoting peace and helping Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities preserve and protect their land. One example of its work came in 2011, when SCIAF supported COCOMOPOCA, a coalition of 43 Afro-Colombian communities. After 12 years of appeals, their application for collective legal ownership of 73,000 hectares of land in the Chocó region was approved. While SCIAF has continued supporting efforts to protect Indigenous and Afro-Colombian land, it has recently expanded its focus to the growing number of Venezuelan migrants entering Colombia. 

In 2019, SCIAF received more than $140,000 from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund for projects in Colombia. This funding provided food support to 13,259 Venezuelan migrants and nonfood items to assist 6,339 migrants traveling through the country, both 25% above projected targets. These efforts have become even more significant amid rising regional instability. Colombia already hosts around three million Venezuelan migrants and could face another large influx following recent U.S. strikes in Venezuela.

Tearfund

Tearfund is a Scottish-based charity that has provided aid in Colombia since 1980, with assistance ranging from supporting Venezuelan migrants to responding to natural disasters. Through collaboration with its local church partner, CORSOC and funding from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund, Tearfund has provided 500 families with basic household goods and food. It has also offered medical assistance to 1,175 people at four church locations across Colombia.

Additionally, 24,000 children of Venezuelan migrants are now Colombian citizens as a result of campaigns supported by Tearfund. In recent weeks, catastrophic flooding in northern Colombia has heavily affected the Córdoba region, where officials report that 156,000 people have been impacted and 80% of the territory remains underwater following heavy rainfall. In response, a network of local churches that participated in Tearfund’s Transforming Communities program has helped more than 3,000 people rebuild their lives, including 700 families.

Christian Aid

Christian Aid has supported local communities and strengthened resilience among Indigenous groups for more than 20 years by helping them secure land and territorial rights. One of its most significant achievements came in 2016, when it partnered with the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission (CIJP) to help obtain a collective land title for Afro-descendant communities in the Naya River basin. The title recognizes the land rights of 52 communities that have lived there since the 17th century.

The agreement secured 177,817 hectares of land for 18,000 beneficiaries, marking a powerful milestone 15 years after the Naya Massacre, when right-wing paramilitaries killed 25 civilians in the town of Alto Naya.

Future Efforts

While the aid provided by these four U.K. charities has helped reduce economic gaps between urban and rural areas, more must be done to address the inequality that makes Colombia the second most unequal country in Latin America. The U.K. continues to support efforts in Colombia and has called for faster implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement. 

– Sean Welsh

Sean is based in Haywards Heath, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Relocation of Poverty in Colombia

Poverty in colombiaPoverty in Colombia has shifted geographically, moving away from major cities and increasingly concentrating in rural and coastal areas. Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) confirms that rural areas have a 41% poverty rate compared to urban poverty, which is 30%. As a whole, 33% of Colombia is experiencing monetary poverty, the classification that determines the basic income and consumption minimum for day-to-day life. However, DANE claims that 65% of the country is vulnerable to poverty.

HelpAge International

The Borgen Project spoke with Daniela Vasquez Moncaleano, project officer for HelpAge International.

Moncaleano works for HelpAge International in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. A city once rumored to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world during the 1990s has since transformed into a thriving, tourist-friendly capital and one of the most developed cities in Colombia.

Specifically, HelpAge International is a nongovernmental organization that aims to support the aging population by protecting its rights and helping it live healthy, fulfilling lives away from poverty and homelessness. Moncaleano is a project officer for the organization and works explicitly on poverty-prevention projects.

Observed Changes in Poverty

She has observed a decrease in poverty. “Yes, poverty has decreased in Colombia.” Statistical poverty reduction suggests that its steadily declining rate will yield long-lasting positive effects.

A primary reason for the poverty decrease is Colombians moving out of rural areas and into city life. “There is internal immigration that is heading to cities like Cali. But not many migrate to Bogota.” Many people who are experiencing poverty move to urban areas for job opportunities and income.

Common Misconceptions About Poverty

“There are more forms of poverty than just monetary poverty,” says Daniela Vasquez Moncaleano, a manager who works for HelpAge International, a nongovernmental organization that supports the elderly experiencing poverty. Moncaleano explains that there are two main types of poverty. The most common type is monetary poverty, a measuring system that financially classifies households by income. Then there is multidimensional poverty, which is difficult to measure since it considers many aspects beyond finances, such as education, health care, sanitation and environmental safety.

“Multidimensional standards are important to consider,” Moncaleano says. Poverty is experienced differently depending on the situation and geography. For instance, rural areas grow their own food, whereas urban areas buy groceries from supermarkets. In other words, rural areas are not poor in access to food like urban areas are; instead, rural areas are poor in resources such as access to local schools or hospitals.

Hope for Addressing Poverty in Colombia

To explore this broader national shift, Daniela Vasquez Moncaleano has shed light on the evolving landscape of poverty in Colombia and provided a human lens through which to understand its many dimensions. “I have so much hope for poverty reduction.” Moncaleano began working with HelpAge International because she believed in the Colombian community and the power of generations working together. “When the skies are gray, you can make the sun appear.”

Solutions to Poverty Reduction

Moving forward, Colombia will continue to reduce poverty but may have some gray-sky days. Moncaleano suggests two solutions to reduce the poverty rate. Her expertise lies in the elderly, and she suggests creating aging-friendly cities. Moncaleano has shared that there are few job opportunities or activities for the elderly past the age of 40.

The creation of more jobs or community-based events for elders can potentially provide income and purpose and reduce poverty among the elderly population. “The elderly always want to work. They want to feel life and want to feel productive.”

– Mireya Aguilar

Mireya is based in Layton, UT, USA and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Sustainability in the Wake of the Colombian Armed Conflict

Sustainability in the Wake of the Colombian Armed ConflictIn the Colombian armed conflict, land ownership and agricultural strongholds for rebel forces were a form of political power. The peace owed to the 2016 disarmament of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has since raised questions over state policies of sustainability. The Borgen Project spoke with Dr Camilo Uribe Botta and assessed the role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to find out.

In the last decade, Bogota was the site of a critical period in contemporary Colombian history – the 2016 peace settlement where the revolutionary FARC guerrilla group agreed terms with the government to demobilize. The FARC’s long history of violent struggle revolved around agrarian reform. Aligning with a communist ideology, land rights and agricultural communes were central to FARC policy in the Colombian hinterlands. Their strategic aim was to ensure that Colombia’s poor had access to land rights. In the aftermath of 2016, a fiercely contested debate surrounding the environmental impact of deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions has been topical. Some argue that the FARC were environmentally conscious in ways the Colombian government has not been. On the other hand, the role of peaceful humanitarian organizations, such as the UNDP, have been successful in their efforts to improve Colombian sustainability.

2016 as a Turning Point or a Step Backwards?

The FARC-EP disarmament in 2016 provoked a debate over whether the signed peace agreement was really a turning point in the wider narrative surrounding the Colombian armed conflict. Teaching Fellow Dr Camilo Uribe Botta, an environmental history specialist at the University of Warwick, reveals the issues that have plagued ongoing land dispute debates in spite of political tensions.

“This isolation of rural areas in Colombia does not mean they are pristine lands. On the contrary, they remain at the center of disputes over land ownership and exploitation between big companies, large landowners, rural inhabitants, Indigenous communities and armed groups. Illegal mining, logging and deforestation are significant challenges.” — Dr. Camilo Uribe Botta, Oct. 28, 2025.

Rural land ownership and legal property rights have long been geographical sites of contestation between a variety of actors. However, in 2021, the government recorded “174,000 hectares deforested in 2021” heavily concentrated in the Amazon region of Colombia – a region of beauty renowned for biodiversity and identified by climate activists as an area which needs legislative protection. This statistic appears to lend weight to those who believe that FARC occupied the Colombian hinterland and limited deforestation levels comparable to the post-peace period. In reality, these claims have been found to be false.

Legacy

The enduring legacy of the revolutionary group continues to prove detrimental to the environment through an offshoot of dissident factions that have emerged as a result of the 2016 peace agreement. Hostility and violence toward farmers has continued in rural regions of Colombia, with these groups using forces of intimidation and extortion to coerce local communities into the practice of deforestation. Dr. Uribe Botta mentioned that more than “350 ecological leaders” had been assassinated in the country since 2018, making it clear that state solutions to the Colombian armed conflict have proved dangerous. The role of the UNDP in preserving peace across the region has continued to accentuate with the coinciding fatalities and discontented sentiment as a result of government action. Sustainability and peace are therefore interlinked entities that separate the politics of FARC disarmament from any correlation with an improvement in sustainability.

The UNDP: Protecting the People, the Andes and the Amazon

Dr. Uribe Botta fears the violence toward state-appointed environmental leaders is an enduring legacy of the Colombian armed conflict. The preservation of the natural world and Colombia’s beauty also has hugely positive implications for the diverse population that lives amongst it. This is greatly realized in the priorities driven by the UNDP, which have resulted in the World Bank branding Colombia as the nation “leading the path toward sustainability in Latin America.”

The year 2022 marked a stellar period in environmental progress within Colombia because a green taxonomy system was implemented nationwide. This initiative champions economic activity through a system of green bonds granted to local businesses. The money must align with the sustainability targets set by the government and whilst these measures may appear restrictive to a free market economy, Colombia’s GDP actually rose by 8.5% in the first quarter of 2022. Unlike during the Colombian armed conflict, national policy, which has consulted with international organizations, has sought to depoliticize environmental issues effectively.

The UNDP has liaised with local stakeholders to ensure the aforementioned green taxonomy system continues to prevail. Within the indigenous communities of Colombia, the forests have a sacred dimension and adopt a position of integral cultural importance. The Indigenous Communities for the Forests was set up alongside UNDP representatives, designed to preserve the cultural heritage of the Andes. In the highlands of Nukanchipa, “80 hectares” of the iraca plant were planted by the local community, which boosts biodiversity and the survival of the forest. From a historical perspective, the iraca ruler led the Muisca peoples through the brutalities of Spanish colonialism – the legacy of the indigenous communities lives on through the symbolic nature of the iraca plant. 

Awareness in Academia

Difficult memories of the Colombian armed conflict for Dr. Uribe Botta remain vivid. He speaks of “the news about attacks, explosions and mass kidnappings” and a childhood which involved seeing a large military presence in Bogota. 

“Our movement was minimal; people preferred not to travel by land in many parts of the country due to the risk of abduction. I remember that, for many school years, there was no school trip because the recommendation was not even to leave the city of Bogotá” — Dr. Camilo Uribe Botta, Oct. 28, 2025.

His academic journey has culminated in an impressive PhD funded by a scholarship obtained at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. Writing on the “commerce of orchids” in 19th-century Colombia, Uribe Botta has sought to trace the environmental impact of orchid extraction. His thesis presents the orchid as a marker of state success; if orchids are flourishing in a region, then sustainability practices are being implemented to effect.

Unfortunately, the orchid was at risk of extinction in the 19th Century, but important work like Uribe Botta’s has contributed greatly to the discipline of environmental history. The historiographical turn toward tracing environmental progress over time has not gone unnoticed by contemporary policymakers and activist groups. Orchids for Peace is an initiative that has targeted the conservation practices of the flower in the aftermath of the Colombian armed conflict. Exactly 1,000 planned orchid sanctuaries reflect the initiatives’ stress on “orchids as symbols of peace.”

Sustainable Goals without Political Undertones

The debate over the sustainability practices of the FARC-EP has a strong political edge. Placing the Colombian armed conflict at the heart of climate-related issues has resulted in a violent competition for land and resources post-2016. These disputes have resulted in an alarming rate of deforestation in deliberate opposition to the national state policy. Despite the unstable political climate in the aftermath of the Colombian armed conflict, the nation has made significant progress toward preserving its natural beauty, diverse communities and unique biodiversity. Importantly, these changes were sparked by nongovernmental actors.

The UNDP continues to work alongside local communities to protect their social and environmental interests. This has yielded fantastic results in relation to the nation’s GDP, as hailed by the World Bank. In addition to these measures, the intellectual field of environmental history continues to promote the positives of Colombian sustainability by highlighting important lessons learnt from the past. The cohesion between nonprofit workers, international organizations and environmental scholars has formed the basis of successful progress toward a greener, peaceful Colombia.

– Ash Fowkes-Gajan

Ash is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Post-Conflict Reforestation in Colombia

How Post-Conflict Reforestation in Colombia is Bringing Reconciliation and Economic Opportunity Deep in the Colombian Amazon, where only recently thick tree canopies concealed guerrilla movements, a different kind of revolution is taking root. The 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) brought a formal end to a decades-long conflict that killed 450,000 people and displaced millions. Yet peace brought an unexpected environmental crisis. In 2017, almost 225,000 hectares were destroyed, accounting for 2.6% of global deforestation for that year, as armed groups and land grabbers moved into areas once exclusively controlled by FARC. These groups cleared forests at an unprecedented pace for cattle ranching and illegal money-making operations.

Furthermore, when displaced communities returned after the peace agreement, many found land scarred by conflict and depleted by unsustainable cultivation. As a response, many have been driven to clear more forest in order to sustain their families through cattle ranching. Cattle ranching remains the single biggest cause of deforestation.

However, former guerrillas currently work alongside conflict victims to plant trees and rebuild their communities. Post-conflict reforestation and agroforestry schemes can simultaneously restore the environment, foster reconciliation and tackle rural poverty, particularly for those returning from displacement. The advancement of this tripartite process is vital for ensuring lasting peace.

From Combatants to Conservationists

At the Communitarian Multiactive Cooperative of the Common (Comuccom), near Puerto Guzmán, 24 former FARC combatants are working toward an ambitious goal: planting 1 million trees across the Colombian Amazon. Duberney López Martínez, who joined FARC at just 13, now leads the effort at 33. He tends to the 250,000 trees ready for planting in their nursery, each one a small act of reparation after decades of conflict.

Beyond post-conflict reforestation, Comuccom leads the Network of Amazonic Communitarian Nurseries, connecting 12 organizations across Colombia’s “Arc of Deforestation.” They regenerate soils exhausted by cattle grazing and coca cultivation, cleanse water sources contaminated by mercury from illegal gold mining and reconstruct ecological corridors for jaguars and endangered bird species. This contributes to food security and socio-economic stability through the creation of new jobs.

Women Leading the Eco-Peace Movement

In Caquetá, women ex-combatants are pioneering their own approach through ASMUPROPAZ (Association of Women Producers of Peace Essences). Founded in 2017, the organization embodies what they call the “Eco-Peace Nexus,” the recognition that healing the land and healing communities are interconnected endeavors that must happen together.

ASMUPROPAZ offers literacy programs, vocational training and technical agricultural skills while implementing sustainable farming, post-conflict reforestation efforts and the production of natural plant-based products. These initiatives create economic independence while addressing deforestation and environmental degradation that threaten the region’s future.

Carolina Aldana, one of ASMUPROPAZ’s youngest members, captures their vision: “Our work shows how caring for the environment can bring people together and create lasting peace. By protecting the land we all depend on, we’re also building a future where former combatants and the community can thrive side by side.”

Addressing the Root Cause

Having acknowledged that unequal land distribution and rural poverty have fueled five decades of war, the Colombian government under new President Gustavo Petro is now prioritizing rural reform. From 2017 to 2024, nearly 3 million hectares were formalized for rural inhabitants who had farmed without legal recognition, while nearly 130,000 hectares were distributed to new beneficiaries. The effects of this turnaround came swiftly. By 2023, Colombia achieved a 36% reduction in deforestation, the lowest level in 23 years.

“Rural reform is clearly moving to the center of efforts to build a more peaceful and prosperous Colombia,” declared Carlos Ruiz Massieu, United Nations  (U.N.) special representative overseeing peace verification. The government’s commitment represents recognition that lasting peace requires addressing the structural economic causes of the country’s conflict.

Research confirms the multiplied benefits. Surveys of 429 farmer households practicing cacao agroforestry in Caquetá and 500 in César found that silvopastoral systems and the reintroduction of native species increased spaces for dialogue and decreased conflicts over natural resources. Furthermore, they have delivered socio-economic stability through job creation and strengthened social cohesion through collaborative land management.

Progress So Far

On a wider scale, reintegration statistics tell an encouraging story. Of the nearly 14,000 former combatants who entered the reintegration process, 85% remain engaged. More remarkably, 10,900 now participate in productive projects that provide income and purpose, while 39% of those laying down their weapons have now received university degrees.

Perhaps the most profound transformation occurs through “Restorative Mingas,” communal task forces pioneered by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). These gatherings bring together conflict victims and former FARC combatants to address specific needs within the community and rebuild community infrastructure together. This demonstrates that reconciliation can be supported by development initiatives that empower communities and unite people around shared goals.

Kristina Lyons, an anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania who has spent two decades in the region, summarizes: “The ecological restoration of the Amazon has deep significance for healing relations between humans ruptured by the conflict.”

Replicable Lessons for Other Nations

For other post-conflict countries, Colombia offers hard-won lessons. Through grassroots participation and innovative approaches that prioritize dignity, champion women’s leadership and weave together environmental restoration with poverty alleviation, the country demonstrates how former adversaries can forge a shared, sustainable future.

Challenges remain, however. Illicit economies are still in operation and violence continues in some regions, particularly by groups such as the EMC that rejected peace talks and have filled the vacuum of violence left by departing FARC combatants. Continuing dialogue between local communities and the Bogotá government calls for an improved land registration system and government follow-through in its regulation of illegal activities. Yet Colombia shows that trees planted with intention can become instruments of peace and pathways out of poverty.

– Caroline Sheehan

Caroline is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Farming for Peace: SDG 2 in Colombia

SDG 2 in ColombiaSDG 2 is a development goal set by the U.N. to create a “world free of hunger by 2030.” Global food insecurity has been increasing alarmingly since 2015, caused by factors like the pandemic, war and deepening global wealth inequality. The U.N. reports that in 2023, 2.3 billion people faced food insecurity, increasing from 383 million in 2019.

As promoted by the U.N., SDG 2 requires coordinated national efforts to alleviate hunger. Reform and investment in sectors such as agriculture and farming can break rural poverty cycles by offering employment, opportunity and building food security during disasters and violence.

Colombia’s Poverty Problem

Despite Colombia’s status as an upper-middle-income country, food insecurity and poverty are critical issues, particularly in rural areas. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that in 2025, 25% of the population is food insecure. Many rural Colombians rely on farming to make a living.

Yet, structural challenges and the prevalence of drug production often make this livelihood unstable. As the Colombian Council of Ministers stated, 1% of landowners control the Casa de Nariño, 65% of fertile farming land. Lower-income farmers are often given no legal or formal recognition of their lands.

Due to Colombia’s terrain, many farming communities are remote, with limited infrastructure, investment and access to opportunities. Faced with this, many Colombians become trapped in the cycle of growing the more accessible and demanded coca plant, used to make cocaine, as an option for survival. Coca displaces crops, reduces local food availability and deepens drug-related violence and displacement, contributing to the cycle of food insecurity and poverty.

Creating Change

Introduced in February 2025, President Gustavo commenced the initiative “Pact for Land and Life: Revolution for Life.” It addresses inequalities and promotes rural livelihoods through agricultural reform and farming. The pact focuses on land redistribution and the eradication of coca production.

The program offers farmers financial incentives to transition to sustainable crops such as coffee, sugarcane and livestock. Transition is assisted with technical training, funding and equipment, with some towns requiring infrastructure such as new roads to improve market access. This promotes food security by giving farmers the dignity and opportunity to start again, earn money more safely and trade within the law.

This creates a stronger relationship between rural farmers and the government, boosting the likelihood of further investment and infrastructure in rural communities. It would also stop the prevalence of drug production and the associated violence that it brings.

While the threat of drug violence, difficulties in accessing remote regions and the challenge of generating adequate funding have slowed government plans, nonprofit organizations such as Mercy Corps have stepped in. They provide essential support in alleviating food insecurity.

The Work of Mercy Corps

Since 2005, Mercy Corps has worked in Colombia to tackle the root of coca cultivation, focusing on sustainable agriculture, land formalization and economic inclusion. In rural, impoverished and conflict-affected regions like Catatumbo, where farmers are forced to rely on coca to get by, Mercy Corps helps farmers transition to legal and sustainable forms of income.

Through initiatives such as ALGO Nuevo, more than 3,000 farmers have replaced more than 1,800 hectares of coca with crops such as coffee and yucca. The charity also works alongside the National Land Agency and local governments to develop marginalized groups’ property rights and reduce land formalization costs.

Conclusion

The effect of agricultural focus on reform in Colombia shows the potential of farming in alleviating food insecurity and achieving SDG 2. Land redistribution, coca eradication and training have provided invaluable socioeconomic opportunities to the nation’s most marginalized and vulnerable groups. It builds greater stability, promotes peace and builds resistance to occurrences of violence and displacement, as well as facilitating individuals to have dignified work.

Colombia serves as a case study for the coordinated efforts required for SDG 2 and how farming unlocks a new reality for some of the world’s most impoverished and remote communities.

– Mia Keen

Mia is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Taking Action Against Yellow Fever in Colombia

Yellow Fever in ColumbiaAfter the mysterious deaths of three monkeys of different species in Putumayo, Colombia, health teams quickly determined the cause. They identified that the deaths were not random or coincidental, but the beginning of what could have been a yellow fever outbreak in Colombia. It is a highly contagious virus mainly transmitted by mosquito bites.

However, it can be prevented by vaccines, which are relatively affordable and easily accessible. Nonetheless, depending on the region, it can be harder to access or afford. In 2025, five countries reported an increasing presence of yellow fever. In Colombia (as of June 28, 2025), there have been 114 confirmed human yellow fever cases, 49 confirmed deaths and case fatality rate of 43%.

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) offered training to health teams through the PROTECT initiative in Colombia. It educated health workers on taking preventative measures quickly and efficiently against outbreaks of viral diseases such as yellow fever.

Education From Health Professionals

Following the deaths of the monkeys, several immediate preventative measures were taken. These included vaccinating environmental workers, conducting entomological studies and analyzing the affected area. Due to the training offered by PAHO, health teams were taught how to take samples from wildlife safely and the importance of integrated surveillance.

Integrated surveillance showed health workers the importance of monitoring primates and mosquitoes in the area and shared many tools to take preventative action and control outbreaks. Due to strong surveillance of the area, Colombian professionals were able to identify the presence of yellow fever in Putumayo, Colombia and control further spread of the virus.

Maintaining high vaccination levels and continued wildlife surveillance will help catch future outbreaks before they become too severe. Colombia has issued regulations and laws to help contain the spread of yellow fever and increase preparedness for future situations where swift action is needed.

PAHO has urged countries to “maintain active surveillance, vaccinate at-risk populations and ensure rapid responses to early warning signs — such as unexplained monkey deaths.” This is extremely important because our health depends on the health of our environment and the wildlife inside it. Monkeys are extremely similar to humans, so we won’t be far behind if they are affected.

The Future of PAHO’s Health Initiative

PAHO has made guidance documents publicly available on the regional level, which include instructions on safe sample collection, guidelines for managing control endeavors and maps of high-risk areas. It continues to conduct in-person training on surveillance and entomology of yellow fever for vulnerable countries.

Colombia has also issued circulars that establish transitional measures for yellow fever vaccinations. The criteria of these letters extend from ages 9 months to 59 years of age. The public health risk of yellow fever is extremely high.

However, with these measures implemented by PAHO/WHO, such as increasing vaccination levels, people have been successfully learning to save lives and contain outbreaks of yellow fever in Colombia.

– Bowie Aldrich

Bowie is based in North Syracuse, NY, USA and focuses on Business and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Inciting Action in the “War on Drugs”: Colombian Drug Use

colombian drugIn the wake of a perpetual international drug issue, the Latin American “War on Drugs” has only increased in intensity – particularly in Colombia, the world’s primary international cocaine supplier, where drug-related influence is historically pervasive. According to the American Journal of Public Health, Colombian drug overdoses have increased by 356% from 2010 to 2021. SIVIGILA, the national public health surveillance system, found similar statistics from the same timeframe, reporting 127,087 substance-use-related overdoses among Colombian people ages 10 and older. These intervals reflect an upward trend in drug overdoses that has been unfolding over the past three decades.

Survey

Additional reports found that Colombian drug overdoses significantly increased in young women between 2018 and 2021. This likely links to the widespread emotional distress prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a corresponding increase in prescription administration. According to Think Global Health, many users are transgender (potentially using drugs to serve as an emotional coping mechanism for their social isolation).

In grouping overdoses by substance type, the Committee on National Security Systems administered a Colombian household survey; substances most frequently associated with Colombian overdose were “tranquilizers/sedatives/antidepressants (43%), cannabis (16%), stimulants (16%), alcohol (16%), and opioids (6%),” according to Columbia University. This data neglects to include Colombian drug use among homeless or incarcerated individuals who did not receive the survey.

Colombia’s Response to the Increase in Drug Consumption

In 2022, Colombia became one of 34 countries to implement take-home naloxone programs (used to reverse the repercussions of opioid usage). Later in 2023, Colombia joined 17 other nations in the institutionalization of drug consumption rooms (DCRs), together with international contention over establishing DCRs, which made international government sanctioning difficult to acquire.

These peer-run facilities oversee the safe consumption and injection of illicit drugs, essentially arguing that safe consumption is preferable to any alternative overdose. Facilities provide access to sterile supplies (i.e., syringes), on-site medical personnel, and resources on recovery; employees are either medical personnel or recovered users.

Cambie, the first official Colombian DCR

“Cambie,” which directly translates to the English word “change,” takes action that is intentionally and deeply rooted in the meaning of its name.

Not only is “Cambie” the first safe injection site sanctioned in Colombia, but it is also the first of its kind to exist in all of South America. The facility strictly injects heroin and follows an empathy-based model of care. In its first year, it effectively prevented 14 heroin-based fatalities, according to Think Global Health.

The Process

Upon entering the facility, clients receive a survey that allows Cambie to approximate the client’s safest dosage and injection site; its services are comparable to approximately 200 other international institutions. Based in the Santa Fe neighborhood of Bogóta, Colombia, the institution bolstered 87 clients within its first two years of operation. Resultedly, the surrounding community has experienced a reduction in public heroin use, injection litter, rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and overdose deaths, without experiencing a correlated increase in the frequency of crime or drug use.

Cambie is also spearheading research on injection supplementation; Psychologist and coordinator at Cambie, Daniel Rojas, conducted a study by providing 10 heroin users with hammer pipes, known for their substance-optimizing abilities, Think Global Health reports. The trade-in for hammer pipes welcomes the opportunity for users to manipulate a mechanism less likely to be riddled with contaminants. This may show particular benefits, considering how Cambie’s annual 2025 report indicated that the leading causes of overdose in users were abrupt  “dose escalation,” unawareness of dosage, abrupt post-abstinence use, and “concomitant use with other depressants.”

A Colombian “Good Samaritan” Clause

There is a critical distinction between personal administration and trafficking, the former of which is not reinforced by DCRs. Nonetheless, in an effort to reduce Colombian drug trafficking and overdose frequency, the Colombian 2023 National Drug Policy allocated $49.5 million in assets towards funding of small projects, like injection sites and DCRs.

The approach to drug administration resembles Massachusetts’s “Good Samaritan Clause,” a clause that reduces the stigma and criminalization of underage, by eliminating the risk of persecution when reporting a medical emergency as an indoxicated minor. The ultimate goal – prioritizing the social emphasis on wellbeing rather than indictment.

Conclusion

Harm reduction is not just a form of health intervention, but a safeguard of human rights. Not only do DCR facilities protect critical sanitary needs of drug users, but they also consider the emotional underpinnings of drug use and recognize the drug epidemic as a reflection of systemic inequity in health care access. The government has effectively protected some of its most vulnerable communities by approaching the Colombian drug epidemic through this empathy-based lens.

– Talia Gitlin

Talia is based in Natick, MA, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Updates on SDG 9 in Colombia: Hydrogen, Jobs and Innovation

SDG 9 in ColombiaIn 2021, Colombia’s Ministry of Energy unveiled an ambitious plan to transition to clean energy by 2050 by replacing fossil fuels with a low-emission hydrogen solution. As of 2025, not only has Colombia remained consistent in its efforts, it is on track to becoming a regional leader in energy sustainability. This article lists some updates on SDG 9 in Colombia.

The 2015 Paris Agreement to reduce the rate of global warming spurred nations into modernizing their energy sources. Part of Colombia’s SDG 9, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, is a commitment to reducing emissions by 51% by 2030. This is a goal it plans to achieve by transitioning to hydrogen, which it could then potentially export internationally. 

Hydrogen, most commonly used in refining, fertilizers and other chemicals, also serves as a low-carbon alternative that could power small appliances and large vehicles alike. Global demand for hydrogen is likely to increase exponentially in the next two decades. Broad international interest, support and investment have the potential to create thousands of jobs to poverty-stricken regions like Cartagena, Colombia.

Close to 10 million people suffer from energy poverty in Colombia, mostly in rural areas like the Amazonía, Chocó and Orinoquía. While hydrogen is not yet an affordable alternative, mass production and naturally-occurring white hydrogen will make it a competitive alternative by 2030.

Progress for the People

The advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promises several benefits to Colombians, particularly the people of Cartagena, where the state-owned company Ecopetrol bases its operations.

  1. Job Creation: According to Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), 41.1% of Cartagena’s population lived in poverty in 2023. The rate of poverty in the region has been increasing since 2021. The city’s unemployment rate for the first semester of 2025 was 9.8%, which hovers above the national average of 8.6% during the same period. Colombia’s roadmap anticipates the creation of 7,000 to 15,000 new jobs. In 2024, Ecopetrol announced the hiring of 344 employees as it expanded its operations. The construction of a new processing plant, new pipelines, the necessity for trained professionals, engineers and more is expected to create further job opportunities for Colombians in the coming years.
  2. Education, Training and Research: The sectors in Cartagena that saw a decrease in new jobs included professional, scientific, technical and administrative roles. In 2023, Ecopetrol invested the equivalent of more than $10 million in career training for its workforce. Ecopetrol is also working with the Inter-American Development Bank, the national vocational education center SENA, several top universities, among others. In a joint effort, they plan to build the first Innovation and Technology Center in the Caribbean.
  3. Health: Hydrogen fuel cells emit only water vapor and warm air, reducing carcinogens and other pollutants in the air. Vehicles powered by hydrogen are quieter, limiting noise pollution.
  4. Investment Opportunities: Several companies, including ENGIE, Siemens Energy and Porsche Colombia have shown support for Colombia’s initiatives.

Updates on SDG 9 in Colombia

The Colombian government has already taken several steps to advance its SDG 9, which include industry, innovation and infrastructure. As of 2025, there are 36 projects in multiple phases of progress.

  1. Strategy: In 2022, Ecopetrol announced that its development of a pilot program would occur in three phases. First, it would focus on the expansion of hydrogen operations at an industrial scale. Second, it would focus on sea and air transport and the search of commercial opportunities across Europe and Asia. Third, it would promote mass use of hydrogen.
  2. Legislation: The Energy Transition Law, enacted in 2021, laid the foundation for the regulations needed for hydrogen development and offered tax incentives to attract projects. In 2024, Decree 1597 established guidelines and regulations for the development of the hydrogen sector.
  3. Discovery of white hydrogen: Colombia discovered white hydrogen in the Cordillera Oriental and Sinú-San Jacinto basins. White hydrogen can be extracted at a lower cost than other types of manufactured hydrogen.
  4. Blending: Promigas’ Cartagena Plant began operations in 2022. Promigas started green hydrogen production and subsequent injection into the natural gas grid. It is the second company in Latin America to utilize blending in its distribution systems.
  5. International investment: Viridi RE declared its intention to build a green hydrogen and methanol plant in La Guajira.
  6. Pipelines: Promigas has been approved for a two-way pipeline between Barranquilla and the Ballena gas field that is expected to begin operating in 2027. Additional planned pipelines include Mariquita-Gualanday, Jamundí-Valle del Cauca and Barrancabermeja-Ballena.
  7. Hydrogen bus: Ecopetrol is looking to build a hydrogen-powered bus capable of transporting 50 passengers to be used in Bogota’s public transit system.

Looking Ahead: SDG 9 in Colombia

Colombia has impressed the international community with its unshakeable commitment to produce and implement a low-carbon source of energy. Ecopetrol and several private investors are financing initiatives, building infrastructure and promoting scientific research.

The nation’s natural resources and strategic geographical location may prove advantageous in the race to become a major hydrogen exporter in the coming years. Moreover, the advancement of SDG 9 through the investment hydrogen industry contributes to the creation of more jobs, healthier communities, learning opportunities and overall poverty reduction for Colombians.

– Johanna Lorena Arredondo Gonzalez

Johanna is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Freepik

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Colombia’s Pension Reform is Fighting Poverty

Colombia’s Pension ReformDuring a person’s working years, a portion of their income is set aside and invested in a fund that grows over time. This money can only be accessed after retirement, providing a stable income when they are no longer working. Pensions are essential for helping elderly people avoid poverty after they retire.

Elderly Poverty in Colombia

The South American country of Colombia has a population of approximately 50 million people, of which more than 7 million (14%) are above the age of 60. According to a study conducted by the Institute of Aging at Colombia’s Javeriana University, 28.4% of this population (or 1.8 million) are living below the poverty line. The study also found that more than one million people in this age demographic are “victims of Colombia’s armed conflict,” which has been going on for decades

Inflation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted many countries, including Colombia. Since 2021, the inflation rate has grown exponentially, peaking at 13.34% in March 2023. While the current rate is much lower, the effects of inflation are still widely present. These effects are especially difficult for elderly people, who often rely on fixed incomes and have limited opportunities to increase their earnings.

In 2023, Colombia’s pension plan only covered 25.5% of the elderly population, according to Bloomberg Linea. This situation leads many older Colombians to extend their working lives, often taking on informal and poorly paid jobs. This is an issue that is more noticeable in rural areas

This is an issue that will continue to become more palpable over time. In 2015, only 10.8% of Colombia’s population was over 60. By 2050, that number will increase to 27.5%

Passage of the Law

While Colombia’s pension reform was a significant issue for years, it became the forefront of Colombian politics in 2022 with the electoral success of Gustavo Petro to the presidency. During the campaign, he promised many social reforms, including pension reform.

His promise came to fruition when the Colombian Congress passed the pension reform bill in June 2024, which came into effect in July 2025. Specifically, this new law aims to strengthen the state pension fund, Colpensiones, by requiring individuals who earn less than $800 per month to contribute to the public fund. It also guarantees payments for older adults who have insufficient retirement savings or none at all. The government estimates that approximately 2.6 million older Colombians will benefit from these expanded payments, providing long-overdue financial security to a vulnerable segment of the population

New Pillar System

The reform also establishes a new “pillar system” that focuses on increasing coverage and efficiency. It divides pension contributions into different pillars based on income levels, thereby encouraging higher-income earners to contribute to private savings while ensuring lower-income workers receive support from the public system. This structure aims to make the overall pension system more inclusive and reduce inequality among retirees.

Additionally, one of the primary objectives of Colombia’s Pension Reform is to combat elderly poverty by offering a guaranteed minimum monthly payment to retirees who did not meet the required weeks of contributions under the old system. This helps ensure that aging citizens who worked informally or intermittently have support in their later years.

While implementation will require significant coordination and public education, the reform is a step toward creating a more equitable retirement system in Colombia.

– William Brentani

William is based in San Francisco, CA, USA and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Colombia’s New Labor Law Can Help Reduce Poverty

Colombia's new labor lawColombia’s new labor law, signed into effect by Colombian President Gustavo Petro on June 26, is intended to support workers’ rights by delivering job stability, increased benefits and ensured protections. While the law is popular among trade unions, it stalled in Colombia’s congress as the opposition claimed it would detriment employment and businesses. New benefits for workers are expected to increase costs for business owners, but providing workers with more power within their industries can reduce poverty.

Aims of Colombia’s New Labor Law

  • Workday and overtime reforms. The law redefines the standard workday as eight hours and caps overtime at two hours per day or 12 hours per week, ensuring that workers cannot be exploited with extended hours. Salaried workers’ overtime, Sunday and holiday pay will rise, with Sunday and holiday rates set to progressively increase from 75% to 100% over three years. In addition, employers will have to provide higher compensation for overnight work, which has been redefined as 7 p.m. to 6. a.m. For workers, these reforms will likely result in higher earnings for those in service sectors, retail, hospitality and logistics. At the same time, employers may see increased labor costs, especially for businesses relying heavily on late or weekend shifts.
  • Mandatory contracts. Colombia’s new labor law limits the use of short-term and fixed-term contract workers to encourage stable job growth and retention. Indefinite-term contracts will now be the standard, allowing workers to agree to a job for an undefined period. Fixed-term contracts will convert to an indefinite agreement if they extend more than four times or exceed a timespan of five years. This change will give employees more job stability and predictability, less flexibility for seasonal hiring and more long-term obligations for employers.
  • More benefits for gig workers. Employers will be required to provide gig-economy workers, like food delivery drivers, with medical coverage and social security benefits, in addition to formally classifying these workers as freelancers. Employers will be subject to higher compliance costs and restructuring of their business models. However, workers will be granted better access to health care, job protections and fairer treatment.
  • Supporting remote work. Provisions regarding telework in Colombia’s new labor law provide a connectivity allowance for remote workers who earn up to twice the minimum wage. Also, it requires companies, depending on their size, to offer remote work to their employees.
  • Emphasizing worker protections. Anti-discrimination laws were expanded with this bill and included pregnant women, disabled workers and employees nearing retirement. This enactment will help enhance diversity and equity in the workplace.
  • Uplifting community members and child care. Around 69,000 community mothers who provide care and education to children in their communities will be officially incorporated into Colombia’s Institute of Family Welfare. This state entity reaches around three million Colombians and provides support services for children and families. With this enactment, community mothers will have more state assistance and access to necessary resources. This is likely to positively impact the care they can provide the children under their supervision.&
  • Protecting students. According to the bill, student interns must be provided monetary compensation and benefits such as vacation time and severance pay. Around 400,000 students who participate in internships will gain complete labor rights and full pay.

How It Can Help Reduce Poverty

With increased access to reliable contracts and government support, workers in Colombia can more effectively sustain jobs to support their families. In addition, poverty can be ameliorated by providing workers with easier access to welfare benefits and higher minimum wages. For workers in Colombia, these reforms subsidize the amount of income they are spending on necessary services, leaving room for emergencies and adequate nutrition.

Formalizing the gig economy, paying workers more and limiting atypical contracts are expected to increase labor costs. However, these reforms have the promising potential to underpin the workforce, provide fair compensation and benefits and help sustain poverty reduction by offering workers viable and endurable opportunities.

As employment in Colombia steadily rises, workers must be supported with effective social services and protected by enforced labor laws. Compliance from employers, government oversight and support for workers and businesses will be critical to improving conditions for Colombian workers and effectively reducing poverty throughout the country.

– Erin Hellhake

Erin is based in Old Bridge, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash