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Current Requirements (US$)$332 million
Crisis overview and projections
Since the installation of the Colombian Government over a year ago, significant policy strides have been made. The Government has demonstrated a proactive commitment to advancing Total Peace efforts by fostering dialogues and ceasefires with some non-state armed groups. Simultaneously, it has championed social and economic policies that favor the most impoverished segments of society and has prioritized addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The Government's development plan 2023-2026 places a special emphasis on initiatives that directly benefit the most vulnerable communities. These initiatives actively involve communities in sustainable solutions, emphasizing approaches that are both people and environment oriented.
Despite these commendable efforts, Colombia still grapples with overlapping persistent humanitarian challenges – particularly in areas where State presence and capacity are more limited- arising from the expanding geographical impact of internal armed conflict, its intensification in some areas, and ongoing disasters. Approximately 8.3 million people have been identified as facing urgent humanitarian needs in 2024, indicating a concerning rise in comparison to the preceding year. 50,4% of this population are women, 30% children and 23% ethnic communities (1.9 million) are disproportionately affected. In addition, Colombia hosts some 2.9 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees who, despite progress achieved through the Temporary Protection Permit issued by the Government, still require particular attention, especially regarding socio-economic integration. Increasing numbers of migrants and people in need of international protection (mixed movements) also transit through Colombia and the Darien region, between Colombia and Panama, on their way to North America, facing grave risks.
Municipality of Puerto Nariño, Amazonas, Colombia
Women from the Association of Ticuna, Cocama, and Yagua Indigenous Authorities take part in community strengthening activities.
OCHA/Yohana PantevisWhilst some progress has been observed in some areas in terms of a reduction in violence from armed confrontations within the context of cease-fire agreements, concerns persist regarding key protection dimensions related to increased territorial and social control exerted by non-state armed groups (NSGAs), including child recruitment, landmine contamination, individual displacements, gender-based violence, mobility restrictions, and access constraints. In 2023, nearly 105,000 people were affected by conflicts in 161 mass emergency events. A similar amount was affected by individual displacements.
In addition, in 2023, Colombia faced various challenges related to disasters, reporting 1,646 hydro-climatic events including large-scale floods in various regions of the country, landslides on the border with Panama and the impact of tropical storm Franklin in several municipalities. Moreover, the transition from La Niña phenomenon to El Niño poses a risk to 9.3 million people across half of the country’s municipalities. Out of these, 2.9 million people are at high risk to the effects of droughts, crop loss, and livestock reductions; 142 municipalities are at risk of restrictions and water rationing water. In addition, WHO warns that 5.1 million people could be directly affected by health risks that have had an unusual increase in Colombia during the year 2023, such as dengue, malaria, acute diarrheal disease, etc., and mental health issues. These challenges compound existing food insecurity concerns in Colombia, where 15.5 million experience moderate to severe food insecurity. Among them, 7.3 million urgently require humanitarian assistance in agricultural livelihoods, food, and nutrition, with 2.5 million facing critical needs.
This overview highlights the multifaceted challenges still faced by Colombia, necessitating better coordinated efforts from responders at local level, as well as more holistic interventions under the nexus approach to manage risks, address immediate needs, and enable long-term development strategies. By strengthening the joint efforts deployed by the Government, at the national and local levels, by affected communities, humanitarian organizations, and international partners, through enhanced dialogue; community engagement and co-construction will be crucial in mitigating these challenges and fostering a more stable and secure future for the country's vulnerable populations.
Community engagement and participation
Colombia is a pilot for the Flagship initiative, with the goal of transforming humanitarian action by placing affected populations at the center of all efforts. This entails adapting response strategies and coordination mechanisms to reduce the reliance of affected individuals on humanitarian aid and to foster enduring transformations. As part of this initiative, the HCT will continue actively enhancing community engagement practices, area-based coordination, localization, and new financing strategies to generate more impactful results for affected communities.
In 2023, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) has strategically embraced Community Engagement and Participation, recognizing communities as active partners in shaping humanitarian responses through meaningful dialogues and community-based planning, including the possibility of tailoring traditional actions based on specific communities’ contexts and priorities. In addition, the HCT has been transitioning to a joint, results-oriented approach that transcends individual mandates, fostering impactful, community-tailored actions. Furthermore, there has been a notable shift towards a preventive and anticipatory approach, driven by strengthened predictive capabilities and risk analysis, resulting in the development of inter-agency anticipatory action plans and the promotion of a preventive mindset in State institutions. These strategic changes are geared towards achieving sustainable impact, resilience, and durable solutions while enhancing preparedness for potential humanitarian crises.
Response priorities in 2024
All members of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), with support from various donors have diligently worked to complement the Government's response in addressing the most critical needs. As of October 2023, humanitarian assistance has reached over 900,000 people out of the targeted 1.6 million prioritized population.. Furthermore, the HCT is committed to strengthening its territorial presence in regions such as Magdalena Medio, Guainía, and Vaupés, where the escalation of conflict and mixed affectations has been particularly pronounced, and the capacity to respond remains limited. Sustained funding limitations, however, remain a pressing challenge for the HCT. As of October 2023, the plan has been financed at only 37%, presenting significant challenges in reaching the entire targeted population.
In the years 2024 and 2025, the HCT will strategically align its response into three distinctive phases:
- Emergency Response: Focusing on areas significantly impacted by violence and internal conflict and disasters, particularly in remote rural regions with dispersed populations, influenced by non-state armed groups, and where state presence and capacities are limited, including new areas affected by violence and conflict.
- Proactive Prevention and Preparedness: Targeting regions prone to recurring disasters, newly emerging climate change-related emergencies, and areas identified as most at risk due to El Niño phenomenon. This phase will involve enhancing predictive analysis and fostering anticipatory actions.
- Deliberate Transition to Sustainable Development: Strengthening the nexus between humanitarian, peace, development, and climate change approaches at the territorial level to establish more robust connections between humanitarian responses and durable solutions.The response strategy will prioritize the most vulnerable populations, including children, women, and ethnic communities.
To fulfill this commitment, the HCT has identified a financial requirement of $283 million for the upcoming year.
Colombia
References
- JIAF analysis 2023 conducted by the HCT to inform the HNO
- 9,6% are children between 0 and 5 years old; 10,3% are children between 6 and 11 years old, and 10,1% are children between 12 and 17 years old.
- https://www.r4v.info/es/colombia ; https://www.r4v.info/es/refugiadosymigrantes
- GIFFM, based on analysis conducted for the RMRP 2024
- OCHA, Monitor
- UARIV, Colombia´s Victims Unit
- According to figures from the UNGRD as of November 6, 2023
- UNGRD, Ministry of Environment and HCT contingency plan for El Niño, 2023
- WASH cluster analysis
- Health cluster, 2023
- Food security cluster, 2023
- Idem
- OCHA, 345w activity monitoring report
- Nevertheless, sectors such as Gender-Based Violence only received 15% of funding, which implies that it is a defunded sector regarding the specific necessities of women and children in a context of humanitarian emergencies.