Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
USAID has supported Colombia for more than 50 years, working with the government, private sector, and civil society to pursue social and economic development, address the challenges of recurring violence fueled by coca production and the illegal drug trade, and facilitate the establishment of civilian government institutions in previously isolated and underserved regions. Despite substantial advances, challenges remain in Colombia’s path to lasting peace. Numerous rural municipalities, isolated by poor infrastructure and fragile institutions, are vulnerable to aggression from illegal armed groups, illicit crop cultivation, and the occurrence of forced displacement and human rights violations among their populations. Indigenous People’s communities and those of African descent often live below the national poverty line, suffer from severe income disparity, and receive inadequate social services.
For over two decades, USAID has supported ethnic inclusion in Colombia by strengthening civil society organizations, defending Afro-Colombian and Indigenous People’s human rights, promoting inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic development , supporting cultural heritage combatting racism and discrimination. USAID integrates programming for ethnic communities throughout its portfolio and supports comprehensive, standalone activities. USAID works hand-in-hand with these communities as partners to pursue their self-determined development goals.
Indigenous Voices and Program Highlights
The armed conflict has taken a heavy toll on Colombia’s ethnic communities. Over 45 percent of Afro-Colombians are conflict victims and indigenous people are three times more likely to be displaced from their land by armed actors than the rest of the population. Despite policy and legal advances, progress has been slow in meeting the needs of ethnic communities.
The Inclusion for Peace Activity (IPA) was a five year, $50 million standalone program that fostered Indigenous Peoples’ and Afro-Colombian communities’ social and economic inclusion. IPA was implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the departments of Antioquia, Bolivar, Cauca, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Guaviare, La Guajira, Nariño and Valle del Cauca and ran from November 2016 – June 2021.
IPA worked with the Government of Colombia, the private sector and Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Colombian communities and organizations, leveraging over $32 million dollars in third-party funds. IPA provided organizational and institutional capacity-building to 149 civil society organizations to support communities’ self-determined development priorities and foster the implementation of the Peace Accord, benefiting more than 50,000 people. The Activity also supported 7,568 households to start or strengthen businesses and increased rural communities’ agricultural production. Through IPA 8,328 indigenous and Afro-Colombian people accessed employment. Moreover, IPA supported the protection of cultural heritage and communications campaigns to increase awareness and respect for diversity. Finally, IPA responded to unforeseen events, like the emergence of COVID-19 and natural disasters, benefiting nearly 2,400 families by responding to their immediate needs and supporting food security activities. USAID/Colombia will continue supporting Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Colombians through future programming.
Fanny Kuiru is an indigenous woman leader who advocates for Indigenous and women's rights, Fanny Kuiru fights for all indigenous people in the Amazon region of Colombia. Collaborating with USAID’s Inclusion for Peace Activity, Ms. Kuiru found a platform from which to advocate for the issues she is passionate about. When COVID-19 brought hunger to her community, Ms. Kuiru persevered as a leader and mobilized assistance for people in need.
Learn more about Inclusion for Peace
In 2020, USAID/Colombia awarded its first-ever direct grants with Afro-Colombian and Indigenous organizations, shifting our relationship from donor-beneficiary to partnering for development. USAID’s grants with Afro-Colombian and Indigenous organizations support the self-determined development of Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Colombian communities, support their recovery from the COVID pandemic, and enhance peace implementation in their collective territories. The four grants are:
1. The Inter-Ethnic Alliance for Peace, formed by the National Association of Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES) and the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC), will strengthen the autonomy, self-governance and promote self-determined development based on endogenous economic models community-led economies in indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in five municipalities in the departments of Choco, Cesar, and La Guajira.
2. Manos Visibles provides master’s degree scholarships, education support, leadership training, and capacity building to Afro-Colombian and Indigenous youth, professionals, and organizations in Colombia’s Pacific Coast region and urban areas.
3. The Atrato River Community Council (Comunitario Mayor de la Asociación Campesina Integral del Atrato - COCOMACIA) supports governance, communications, advocacy and peacebuilding initiatives within Afro-Colombian collective territories, including 124 local community councils in eight municipalities in the Atrato River region of Choco and Antioquia.[nid:416706]]
4. The Territories of Life activity implemented by the Center for Intercultural Medical Studies (CEMI) strengthens the capacity of indigenous organizations and traditional authorities in the Amazon Basin to govern their territories. The activity provides technical assistance to five indigenous community organizations to establish and manage Indigenous Community Conservation Areas (ICCAs). The establishment of ICCAs upholds indigenous communities’ right to territory and enables them to better manage the natural resources contained in their lands. ICCAs also contribute to the advancement of peace, self-governance, and sustainable development. To date, the Territories of Life communities have established 220,000 hectares (772 square miles) of new ICCAs in the Amazon, roughly two times the size of New York City.
In the flooded savannas of Colombia’s eastern plains of the Orinoco basin, modern-day heroes are working to preserve their culture from total disappearance to conserve the biodiversity of the least protected ecosystem in Colombia. Working with USAID’s Natural Wealth Program (implemented by Chemonics), indigenous elders from Caño Mochuelo have joined forces with community youth to hold on to and strengthen the traditional knowledge that has helped protect the territory for centuries. The results are evident: 44,000 hectares were registered as an ICCA, territorial governance schemes are stronger, and the people and the natural wealth inherent in their territory has been recognized on a large scale through the recent Universe in Danger art exhibition. USAID Colombia has worked to empower the council of elders and community youth to ensure the precious traditional knowledge that protects their land and livelihoods—and that puts them on a path to self-reliance—is not lost forever.
Learn more about Natural Wealth Program and its work.