Strengthening care and integration of internally displaced persons

The project FORTES in Colombia

Overview

In the Colombian Province of Caquetá, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is running the FORTES programme to improve care and the integration of internally displaced persons. It is supporting a better coordination of care and creating economic perspectives for internally displaced persons and the communities receiving them.

Background

The Province of Caquetá is among the areas most strongly affected by the armed conflict that has been raging in Colombia for more than 50 years. Legal uncertainty, acts of violence and the recruitment of child soldiers have caused many families to flee the province. However, a lack of economic perspectives and stigmatisation by society are making it difficult for the victims to become integrated in their new environment in the provincial capital. Owing to insufficient care, many victims do not have themselves registered by the government authorities in the first place. However, being entered in the government registry is a precondition for eligibility for government services. But even registered victims often do not enjoy these services since the multitude of institutions providing care for victims are not sufficiently coordinated. In addition, the large number of internally displaced persons in Florencia is adding to the strain that the weak infrastructure has already been suffering from. The lack of formal education complicates access to the labour market for internally displaced persons.

Objectives

The project seeks to improve the coordination of government and non-governmental organisations providing victim support in Florencia. The various care and integration programmes are to reach victims more effectively, which is also expected to raise the number of registered victims and the amount of government support provided. With further training measures and links to employers, FORTES intends to facilitate access to legal job opportunities for both victims and other disadvantaged groups of the population. Individuals aiming to go into business and become self-employed are offered consulting and financial subsidies in support of a new livelihood.

Activities

The activities of FORTES focus on Florencia, since this is where a major share of the internally displaced persons live – estimated at around 70,000 people. The project concentrates on a service centre for victim support that the City of Florencia is in charge of. Both the range of information provided and options for government and non-governmental support are systemised via this service centre. The emergency aid and economic integration measures are coordinated in cooperation with the government institutions, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. At institutional level, the programme is also strengthening the municipal Round Table of the conflict victims (Mesa Municipal de Víctimas) by supporting the compilation and implementation of a workplan. This enables victims to state their interests more clearly and strategically and positively influence political decision-making processes. The programme is also involved in facilitating access for victims and other disadvantaged population groups to legal job opportunities via further training measures and contacts to employers. Individuals with a business idea who are seeking to become self-employed are supported as well. The idea is to improve the socio-economic integration of internally displaced persons. In this context, care has above all been taken that the training places offered by government authorities are made more inclusive and are tailored to the skills of the target groups. In addition, entrepreneurs are supported who come up with convincing innovative business ideas and demonstrate a potential to increase income and generate value added. Non-profit cooperatives (empresa solidaria) are backed through organisational development measures and with regard to marketing strategies as well. In the area of microfinance, FORTES is providing support for entrepreneurs e.g. with rotating mini-credit funds and a micro-credit fund in cooperation with UNDP and the local Chamber of Commerce. To complement these activities, dialogue formats, transfer services and psycho-social care for internally displaced persons are being supported financially. Special attention is given to the improved integration of internally displaced persons in their communities of destination in order to minimise the conflict potential.

Effects

Thanks to the strengthening of government and non-governmental bodies, humanitarian coordination has improved at local level. Consulting on combining programmes for civil society is improving processes and procedures. By enabling and involving civil society actors, the project is contributing to participatory development. Thus FORTES is improving the provision of social and economic services for internally displaced persons. Traumatised individuals are additionally offered psychosocial care to start life in the new environment. FORTES is contributing to non-violent management of social conflicts. Strengthening the community welfare orientation of government administration, effective government services and the creation of dialogue between the government and civil society are key to a peaceful and inclusive development of Colombian society.

Conclusions

The project is improving care for the internally displaced persons as well as their social and economic integration. However, FORTES is supporting the development of economic perspectives not only for internally displaced persons but also for other disadvantaged groups of the population. It is thus making an important contribution to resolving social conflicts and strengthening the community in the Province of Caquetá.

Contact

Sabine Kittel

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

sabine.kittel(at)giz.de 

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Categories: Integrated urban development Participation and urban planning The social city
Regions: Latin America Colombia

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