Political representation and participation in the time of peace in Colombia
Promoting political pluralism is one of the main goals of the partnership in Colombia between the Red-Green Alliance and MAPA.
Danish partner: Red-Green Alliance
Local partners: Marcha Patriotica (MAPA)
Project: 2017 - 2022
The Red-Green Alliance is cooperating with the Colombian partner organisation, Marcha Patriotica (MAPA), to promote political pluralism and the political engagement of stigmatised groups. MAPA is a left-wing democratic umbrella organisation assembling unions, human rights organisations, and social movements promoting the rights of women, indegenious people, students, and LGBTQ+. The Red-Green Alliance will, through specific knowledge and experience sharing, facilitate the political training of social leaders so they can take part in democratic institutions and the implementation and sustaining of the peace agreement.
The knowledge and experience sharing are taking place through national strategy seminars to work on implementing the peace agreement. At the same time, 182 youth and female social leaders have been educated politically through conflict and peace analysis. Furthermore, seven dialogue platforms have been created, and seven local governance trainings have been facilitated. The partnership has also facilitated study tours to Denmark for political inspiration.
In October 2019, the Red-Green Alliance sent a delegation of party members to Colombia to observe the local and regional elections, aiming to reduce the irregularities and denounce those irregularities observed. The election was a considerable setback for the governing party and, thereby, a victory for the forces advocating peace.
The peace process in Colombia is extremely important. Not only for Colombia and the region, but for the whole world, because it is such an ambitious peace agreement.”
Beyond the active partnership, the Red-Green Alliance has partnered with other organisations using DIPD funds.
In 2022, RGA entered a one-year partnership with Marcha Patriotica (MAPA), in which they worked to promote political pluralism and the inclusion of stigmatised groups in the political process. MAPA is a left-wing democratic umbrella organisation that unites labour unions, human rights groups, and social movements that promote women's, indigenous, student, and LGBTQ+ rights. RGA facilitated the political training of social leaders through knowledge and experience exchanges. This trained them to participate in democratic institutions and the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement.
RGA also had a partnership with Tierra Libre, a social and political organisation dedicated to defending life, nature, territories, peace, and the creation of a just society in rural and urban areas.
Although both partnerships have concluded, RGA continues to collaborate with both Marcha Patriotica and Tierra Libre.
