We work to protect the right of women, girls, and LGBTQ communities to access their full potential and live free from violence by supporting survivors, mitigating risks, and transforming beliefs that perpetuate GBV.
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Colombia
HIAS carries out a group workshop on GBV prevention and response in the presence of Colombia Country Director, Camilo Ramírez, in Arauca, February 8, 2024. (Natalia Gardeazabal/HIAS)
Office Locations
Arauca, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cúcuta, Ipiales, Medellín, Necoclí, Ocaña, Pasto, Pereira, Popayán, Saravena
Founded
2019
Staff Size
160
Contact
Colombia hosts the largest population of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 2.8 million residing in the country. In recent years, Colombia has also received around 845,000 returnees from Venezuela, many of whom had been living abroad for significant periods of time.
HIAS supports displaced people to rebuild their lives and reunite with family members in safety and freedom. HIAS Colombia focuses on supporting single women, women-headed households, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), people with disabilities and serious medical conditions, and LGBTQ+ refugees.
HIAS Colombia works with Venezuelan refugees and migrants, Colombian returnees from Venezuela, internally displaced people, and host communities.
+100,000
people have received services from HIAS Colombia until July 2023
Our Work in Colombia
HIAS focuses on the prevention of and response to GBV, community-based mental health and psychosocial support, economic inclusion, and protection actions including temporary housing and supplementary food support. Working closely with government institutions, partner organizations, the private sector, and refugee communities, HIAS Colombia promotes local integration and access to rights and services. HIAS operates with the support of the United States Government, AECID, Airbnb, Cadena, Caritas, ECHO, the Hilton Foundation, the Internet Society Foundation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Uber, UNHCR Colombia, USAID-Laser Pulse, and Mackenzie Scott.
We work to protect the right of women, girls, and LGBTQ communities to access their full potential and live free from violence by supporting survivors, mitigating risks, and transforming beliefs that perpetuate GBV.
Learn MoreImpact Story
Matching Refugees and Migrants with Job Opportunities
HIAS Colombia‘s economic inclusion program promotes the economic empowerment and autonomy of refugee and migrant women, the LGBTQ+ population, and host communities. The program has a specific focus on supporting survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), and people at-risk of experiencing GBV.
Participants gain access to opportunities through skills training programs for two pathways: employability and entrepreneurship. They also receive mental health support and learn soft skills during the process.
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HIAS Colombia staff interview participants of the employability program in Cali and Popayan, July 2024. (Natalia Gardeazabal/HIAS Colombia)
Related News
Resources and Publications
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Working with LGBTQ+ Communities in Displacement
LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers face disproportionate levels of violence and discrimination worldwide. HIAS supports LGBTQ+ displaced people to access their rights and rebuild their lives in dignity. Download this factsheet to learn more about our work with LGBTQ+ communities.
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VBG: una problemática latente en mujeres refugiadas y migrantes en Colombia
Si bien la VBG hace parte de la realidad de mujeres y población LGTBIQ+ desde antes de salir de su país, los factores asociados al riesgo de sufrir otras VBG como la violencia sexual se incrementan a lo largo del recorrido realizado entre Venezuela y Colombia. Después de su llegada a Colombia, confluyen distintos factores de exclusión, discriminación y xenofobia.
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Now I Know It’s Violence
This report explores the lessons learned during the implementation of the 'Positive Masculinities' curriculum module run by HIAS in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. This curriculum module was part of the gender-based violence prevention program in the Andean region, funded by the US Department of State.
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Partners
HIAS Colombia operates with the support of the United States Government, AECID, Airbnb, ECHO, Internet Society Foundation, UNHCR Colombia, and USAID-Laser Pulse.
Read ‘HIAS Colombia Memorias 2023’ here.
HIAS’ services are free. If someone tries to charge you for services claiming they represent HIAS, please report it at our confidential email address: ethics@hias.org. HIAS has a zero-tolerance policy on fraud and corruption.
For any other inquiries please email us at info@hias.org.
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