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The Extension of Military Jurisdiction in Colombia

20 September 2013
The international community should closely monitor the extension of the military jurisdiction in Colombia

The Human Rights Council reviewed and adopted its report on the outcome of the UPR of Colombia. The review of Colombia took place a few months ago and back then we already advocated for the inclusion of specific recommendations on women’s participation to peace-building and military justice. We reiterate our arguments during the adoption of this report.

The inappropriate extension of military jurisdiction

During the adoption, we called, among other issues, for the effective implementation of two recommendations on the limitation of military jurisdiction over human rights violations. Back in April 2013, we advocated for the inclusion of a recommendation that addresses the issue of the disturbing extension of military jurisdiction.

We believe that cases of human rights violations should be prosecuted before ordinary courts. We strongly condemned the adoption in June 2013 of a statutory law that exacerbates the level of impunity for crimes committed by armed forces in Colombia and that diminishes victims’ access to justice. Indeed, if alleged human rights violations perpetrated by a soldier are to be judged by a court that is part of the army, justice becomes partial and has an interest within the case.

We thus welcome the call made by the United Kingdom for Colombia to regularly publish regular information and statistics on investigations into alleged human rights abuses by military personnel; we urge the government of Colombia to positively respond to this request.

What to do next?

You can read our statement on the adoption of the outcome report on the UPR of Colombia. You can also read the outcome report on the UPR of Colombia and our initial suggestions for recommendations.

WILPF, and in particular our section in Colombia (LIMPAL Colombia), will keep a very close eye now to monitor the implementation of all UPR recommendations. The UPR recommendations will be an essential advocacy tool to defend and protect human rights in Colombia, especially women’s rights.

In particular, we should all advocate for Colombia to publicly publish information every time an alleged human rights violation is investigated by military personel, it will allow for an international monitoring of this process that has a high risk of hindering access to justice for all.

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

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