Improved Access to Justice for Colombia's Indigenous Wayúu
Partners-Colombia's program brings increased access to justice to Colombia's indigenous Wayúu population.
Wayúu youth from La Guajira, Colombia
On July 1st, Partners-Colombia initiated the project "Strengthening the Rights of the Wayúu" in La Guajira, Colombia. Funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, the program improves access to justice for Colombia’s indigenous Wayúu population. Both traditional Wayúu legal practices and the formal justice system are being engaged through:
- Promoting greater awareness of indigenous rights among State and traditional justice operators.
- Increasing legal and psycho-social services offered by the State to victims within the Wayúu communities.
The project closely coordinates with Colombia’s Ministry of Justice, the Municipalities of Riohacha, Uribia and Barrancas, the Department of La Guajira, the Regional Justice House coordinators, the local association of Wayúu AKUAIPA WAIMAKAT, and the Cerrejón Coal mine. All of these institutions have offered their commitment to work with Partners for Democratic Change (PDC). As part of PDC’s commitment to participatory project implementation and sustainability, the project team also builds the capacity of the Wayúu to advocate for improved legal services through leadership development and application of the PDC Cooperative Advocacy methodology.
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