Colombia

In Colombia, HI works in the fields of humanitarian demining, victim assistance and economic inclusion, and facilitates access to healthcare for Venezuelan refugees.

In the humid region of the Inzá mountains, a deminer carries out demining operations in a contaminated area. | © J. M. Vargas / HI

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Colombia is heavily affected by armed violence. Many areas are contaminated by landmines and improvised explosive devices, posing a considerable threat to the population. To help address this problem, HI conducts humanitarian demining activities in five of the country's departments - Cauca, Meta, Tolima, Antioquia and Acandi. The objective is to enable communities to return to their land and to a normal life.

At the same time, to help reduce the number of accidents, HI organises education sessions on the risks associated with mines and improvised explosive devices, enabling local people to identify dangerous situations and adopt the appropriate behaviour. HI also supports community projects aimed at securing livelihoods and developing the local economy. The programme also deploys conflict transformation techniques to promote living together within communities. Finally, it facilitates access to rehabilitation care and psychosocial support for members of these communities, taking particular account of the needs of vulnerable groups, including older people, children and people with disabilities.

Colombia hosts more than 1.8 million Venezuelan refugees. HI supports these refugees, as well as the host populations, to facilitate their integration and well-being. The host and refugee communities are provided with psychosocial support and specialised rehabilitation care, including orthopaedic devices and mobility aids such as prostheses, wheelchairs and walking frame.

HI also works for the economic integration of migrants through access to services and financial aid. Our teams educate and train financial actors to better understand the needs of refugee populations and take into account the financial risks they face. Our teams organise activities to promote social cohesion between Venezuelan refugees and the host Colombian populations. Lastly, HI promotes the creation and development of community protection and support mechanisms.

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Situation of the country

Colombia is the second most heavily mined country in the world. For several years, the country has been hosting large numbers of Venezuelan refugees.

For decades, Colombians have been enduring a protracted conflict between the national government, the insurgent groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN) and a number of criminal organisations. In 2016, after more than 50 years of conflict, the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with FARC. Under the presidency of Gustavo Petro, the Colombian government has been promoting a policy of total peace, encouraging dialogue and the signing of ceasefire agreements with certain armed groups, while keeping others at bay. Despite these efforts, localised conflicts persist; between 2020 and 2023, the number of people living under the control of non-state armed groups rose from 5.8 million to 8.4 million.

Although the overall figures for displacements and detentions fell in 2023, there was an increase in violence in 2024 in regions such as Chocó, Cauca and Nariño. Landmine contamination continues to rise, with 929 incidents and 95 victims recorded in 2023. The Colombian government is preparing to request an extension until 2030 of the deadline for declaring the country mine-free. Humanitarian demining continues as part of efforts to improve access to unstable regions. Nearly half of the victims of mines and explosive devices are civilians, and many live in remote areas with no direct access to health centres or rehabilitation care.

In recent years, Colombia has become the world’s largest recipient of Venezuelan migrants, some of whom are living in extremely difficult conditions. In 2023, 1.8 million people from Venezuela were living in Colombia. Furthermore, a record number of migrants crossed the Darién Strait in 2023, with 400,000 new arrivals, including some 88,000 children.

Lastly, climate shocks such as the El Niño phenomenon have heightened humanitarian challenges, with severe droughts and landslides affecting the most vulnerable populations.

Number of HI staff: 250

Programmed opened in: 1998

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