“Thanks to the Emergency Fund, we can now support rural women in Colombia and their families to stay safe”
Improving the Security of Women Human Rights Defenders in rural Colombia
The Asociación de Mujeres Campesinas de Argelia (AMAR) is a Colombian women-led organisation based in Argelia, Cauca. Consisting of approximately 170 women, they work to empower and protect the rights of rural women through peacebuilding, social and cultural development, and gender equality. The organisation was established in 2015 within the framework of the peace talks between the ex-FARC and the Colombian government to represent the rights and needs of rural women in one of the regions most affected by the conflict.
In 2018, following the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2016, AMAR started receiving threats and experiencing violent attacks both against the organisation and its members. Members of the committee have been subject to femicides, forced displacement, harassment, intimidation, and death threats both online and physically. Due to their precarious security situation, the Emergency Fund provided them with a grant to strengthen their organisational security. Thanks to the support, they were able to vastly increase the digital security of the organisation and its members, focusing on minimising the risks and threats they faced online. The grant helped AMAR to increase its members’ sense of security and they feel that they now have the necessary tools to respond to future threats and be able to continue their human rights work.
“Thanks to the grant, we were able to carry out a training session with experts in digital security allowing us to gain practical skills to protect our information and equipment. Training us on this subject improves the ability of our rural women to protect themselves and their families, allowing us to carry out our work in human rights and increase our capacities to face the risks we have in the territory.”
– Woman human rights defender of Asociación de Mujeres Campesinas de Argelia, Colombia
Emergency Fund Trends in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023
Defending human rights is a dangerous job in several parts of the world. When a threatening situation escalates, Civil Rights Defenders’ Emergency Fund provides rapid assistance to improve the defender’s security as quickly as possible. During 2023, the fund provided support to 254 human rights defenders and members of their families in 5 different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, through a total of 47 grants.
- Democratic Backsliding: Latin America faces a concerning rise in regressive policies undermining the rule of law, fostering political fragmentation and authoritarian populism. This situation is characterised by restrictions on freedom of expression and association, alongside crackdowns on non-governmental organisations and the implementation of restrictive laws that hinder the defence of human rights. Although this is the case for many countries in the region, this situation has been particularly prevalent in countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, where human rights defenders face systematic oppression, persecution, and stigmatisation. To respond to this worrying trend, the Emergency Fund has provided vital support in the form of legal aid, temporary relocation, and security measures—both digital and physical—to human rights defenders in the region, including those forced into exile, who are facing threats because of their relentless fight for democracy and human rights.
- Rising Violence and Criminalisation: In 2023, there was an intensification of violence towards human rights defenders in Latin America. The region has the highest number of killings of human rights defenders. Those defending the land and environment, alongside indigenous and social leaders, are particularly targeted. This escalation in physical violence has been accompanied by an increase in criminalisation and government harassment, often through unfounded legal actions, posing significant threats to human rights defenders’ personal freedom, mental well-being, and family security. The Emergency Fund provided tailored support to address these challenges, recognising the specific needs and risks, in order to improve the safety and well-being of human rights defenders and their families.
- Support to Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Organisations in Exile: Given the elevated levels of violence and repression, there is a growing demand for assistance to human rights defenders in exile across the region. Even in exile, they remain vulnerable to transnational repression, facing threats like arbitrary deportations, abductions, and targeted violence. While the Emergency Fund extends support to these individuals and groups to address their security concerns, there is a pressing need for more comprehensive support and protection mechanisms to sustain their crucial work.
Read more about the Emergency Fund 2023:
