PBI Colombia is a non-governmental, secular and independent organization. PBI has been carrying out international observation and accompaniment work in the country since 1994.
Our mission is to protect the space for action of organizations, communities and human rights defenders who suffer threats and aggressions for their human rights work.
Volunteers are present on the ground accompanying individuals, communities and organizations under threat, in regions where their lives and their ability to work in defense of rights are at risk. Our advocacy work plays a fundamental role in highlighting the human rights violations suffered by accompanied organizations in Colombia and their situation of risk.
From our offices in Europe and Colombia we work with allied actors (embassies, United Nations agencies, human rights organizations, government entities, parliamentarians from different countries and other allied organizations), to support requests for protection of accompanied organizations and communities, and to generate international pressure with the objective of achieving full respect for human rights.
We also meet with Colombian state entities from the civilian and military sectors at the national and regional levels to convey our concerns about the situation of those we accompany.
Through our publications we report on the risks faced by individuals and communities in the midst of the armed conflict and political repression, who are dedicated to the defense of human rights and the construction of peace with social justice.
We understand that protection, in addition to protocols and security measures, involves emotional support as a fundamental part of it. Therefore, it is important the social and individual strengthening of capacity building to achieve self-protection.
Axes of PBI Colombia’s work
- Presence of observers and international accompaniment in the field.
- Advocacy at regional, national and international levels in Colombia, Europe and the Americas.
- Information and awareness-raising through publications and social networks.
- Collective self-protection or human rights defenders and support for the reconstruction of the social fabric.
Objectives of the work
- To contribute so that individuals, organizations and communities defending human rights can exercise their work in freedom, offering international accompaniment for protection, and thus support the construction of a lasting peace in Colombia.
- To inform the Colombian Government and authorities, as well as the International Community, through bilateral dialogue, about the situation of human rights and the organizational processes that defend them.
- To inform the International Community and public opinion about the reality and the work of human rights defender organizations.
- To strengthen the self-protection capacities of the organizations, accompanying their process of reflection and construction of strategies, as well as their work in the reconstruction of the social fabric.
Who works in PBI Colombia?
The accompaniment tasks are carried out by international volunteers who make up the teams in Barrancabermeja and Bogota. Before joining the project, they go through an intense training and selection process.
In addition, PBI has support staff who carry out specialized activities such as administration, coordination, reconstruction of the psychosocial fabric, advocacy, communication, training, context analysis, and fundraising, among others.
In Europe and the Americas, PBI Colombia carries out dialogue and public relations work with States, multilateral systems and international civil society.
Structure of PBI Colombia
- Two field teams: Bogotá and Barrancabermeja (Santander).
- Representation in Europe.