During the peace negotiations, women’s organisations in Colombia advocated for a special treatment of conflict-related sexual violence against women. As a consequence of the work of Colombian women’s organisations, the agreement on victims now recognises sexual violence as one of the most serious crimes committed in the context of the armed conflict.

In this video, Claudia Duque from NGO Sisma Mujer discusses the 5 components proposed by Jineth Bedoya, Humanas, Sisma Mujer and the National Network of Women for the differential treatment of sexual violence in agreements on transitional justice in the peace process in Colombia. Below is a brief summary of Claudia’s words:

Sexual violence against women in the Colombian armed conflict has been a war crime as well as a crime against humanity, committed not only by illegal armed actors but also by security forces.

The 5 components of the proposal for the differential treatment of sexual violence in the agreements on transitional justice in the peace process should be explicitly included in the peace agreements. The proposal has been presented to the negotiation table of the Gender Sub-Commission by Jineth Bedoya, Humanas, Sisma Mujer and the National Network of Women.

What we are saying and proposing to the parties that are conversing at the negotiating table is that sexual violence is an expression of the discrimination and inequality that women face. This means confronting sexual violence is building gender equality.

There are 5 specific components that we are proposing for the differential treatment of sexual violence in the transitional justice agreement, which are as follows:

1. De-escalation: the express and immediate commitment to the eradication of sexual violence
2. Truth: the creation of an official truth commission (not merely a chapter in the truth commission) regarding sexual violence against women and girls
3. Justice: an agreement on the differential treatment of sexual violence which includes recognition of the sexual violence that was committed in the context of the armed conflict and the creation of sanctions for those directly responsible for this violence, not only those in charge of perpetrators
4. Reparations: a special, transformative, programme for women and girl victim survivors of sexual violence
5. No repetition: a plan that integrates concrete and structural measures that contribute to ensuring an inclusive and egalitarian society for women and girls

http://www.sismamujer.org/