On International Women’s Day, the United Nations warns about abuses carried out against women in Colombia by neo-paramilitary gangs, and launches the Colombia branch of U.N. Women.
According to a Caracol Radio article, the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has received reports of sex attacks against women and young girls by bands of demobilized paramilitaries. The body cited crimes reported in Antioquia, Putumayo, Cauca and Cordoba.
U.N. representative Cristian Salazar said that the office has been informed that members of these groups take women and girls by force, rape them and hold them prisoner, abusing them and torturing them, which sometimes ends in their death.
In view of these sorts of abuses, and the general place of women in Colombian society, the U.N. will launch U.N. Women in Colombia on Tuesday.
UN Women works to defend the human rights of women, empower women, eliminate discrimination, and achieve gender equality.
The event will take place in the capital, Bogota and will be attended by, among other distinguished guests, Gladys Acosta, the director of the Latin American and Caribbean branch of U.N. Women, as well as Colombian Vice President Angelino Garzon.
During the ceremony, a discussion panel about the role of women in society will be held, moderated by journalist Judith Sarmiento.