Colombia

We Effect arrived in Colombia in 2018 at the invitation of the Swedish Embassy to contribute to the country’s peacebuilding and sustainable development by promoting cooperative economic initiatives and the social and solidarity economy, fostering opportunities for reconciliation and reducing conflicts among reintegrated people, victims, families, and communities.

Since 2013, We Effect has explored the possibilities of collaborating with organizations in Colombia. In 2017, We Effect carried out a pilot project of a country program in Colombia, combining our work in rural development and housing and habitat, always with an emphasis on gender equality.

With the support of the office of the Swedish Agency for International Development, Sida, in Colombia, We Effect has initiated a reincorporation project in accordance with the peace agreements between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla movement, which were signed in 2016.

Despite Colombia’s natural wealth, 70% of Colombians are poor, with 88.7% of this population in rural areas. In 2023, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was 12.1%: 8.7% in urban areas and 27.3% in rural areas. Additionally, 10% of the population owns 70% of the wealth, and in rural areas, 1% of landowners control 81% of the land. This makes Colombia the second most unequal country in Latin America with a GINI of 0.556 and the first in rural inequality.

26.1% of the population suffers from food insecurity, and 31% of households face housing deficits: 7.5% need a new home (quantitative deficit), and 23.5% live in conditions that compromise their well-being (qualitative deficit). In rural areas, the housing deficit affects 54% of households.

Colombia ranks 45th globally in gender equality with an index of 0.745, although the gender gap in the Global Participation Rate (GPR) is 25%.

The country is experiencing 7 non-international armed conflicts significantly impacting the population. Although the peace process with the FARC-EP has reduced conflict, other armed groups continue to generate violence. In 2023, Colombia was the 4th country in the world in internal displacements with 5,100,000 people affected.

Although Colombia is responsible for 0.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. By 2040, 59% of municipalities (489) will face medium to very high-level risks. The 20 departments with the highest risk represent 69% of GDP and are home to 57% of the population.

Results in Colombia

• In 6 years of existence, the We Effect Colombia Program has reached 7,804 rights holders (4,080 women and 3,724 men) from 107 Colombian civil society organizations.
• Of these organizations, 97 are cooperatives established to ensure the economic and social reintegration of signatories of the Final Peace Agreement between the FARC-EP and the Colombian State.
• 21 of these organizations are women’s groups focused on comprehensive empowerment strategies under a transformative gender approach. This directly impacted 2,032 women over the last 6 years.
• 10 of the strengthened organizations are civil society platforms working for women’s rights, climate justice, achieving ESCER (Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights), and promoting a more peaceful society. They foster enabling spaces to deepen the civil society agenda.
• 38 cooperative productive initiatives were supported: 19 in livestock production, 3 in agricultural production, 4 in textile production, 3 in food sales, 2 in handicraft production and marketing, 1 in agro-input production, 4 in food processing and marketing (honey, coffee, and dairy products), and 2 in services.
• Of the cooperative productive initiatives, 32 accessed the local market, 5 the national market (fish, honey, coffee, handicrafts, and leather goods), and 1 the international market (coffee).
• The 38 productive initiatives generated income or social benefits for 1,725 people associated with the cooperatives and created 209 direct jobs.
• 44 organizations implemented agroecological and climate resilience production practices, and 2 actively participated in international forums and spaceon the climate crisis (COP and FOSPA).
• 126 women from 29 SSE (Social and Solidarity Economy) organizations were trained through the “Women Who Add Up” school in cooperativism, gender approach, and care economy.
• 5 care initiatives were implemented in 4 departments.