The Colombian government announced Wednesday a $24 million package which it hopes will improve the rights and living conditions of the Andean nation’s displaced population.
On the strength of this plan, the government has formally requested the constitutional court to lift its decree declaring a “status of unconstitutionality” in relation to the rights of Colombians displaced by war. The court issued a judgement in 2004, in which it condemned the state for failing in its duty to safeguard the human rights of the 3.4 million Colombians belonging to this category and ruled the failure unconstitutional.
In a press release published Wednesday, the Colombian presidency stressed that the funds earmarked for the displaced had increased tenfold between 1999 and 2010.
The new proposal’s most important investments will be health ($4.3 million), accommodation ($3.5 million), income generation ($2.5 million), food ($1.4 million), education ($4.9 milion) and land development ($3.9 million).
In addition about $1.3 million will be allocated to “Familias en Accion,” a goverment initiative to provide food and resources to children of displaced families. The remaining resources will be allocated to the identification of displaced people and making reparation payments.
These funds will be invested over the next ten years.
