The Columbian Ombudsman’s Office (DPC) reported that 181 social leaders and human rights defenders were murdered in 2023, demonstrating a 16 percent decrease from the previous year’s figures. The office, through its Annual Report on the Killings of Social Leaders and Human Rights Defenders, highlights the critical situation faced by individuals who work to promote and safeguard community rights.
The report identifies a total of 181 leaders and human rights defenders, including 160 men and 21 women, who were killed in 2023. The Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo Assis, criticized the situation on Twitter, stating that the average rate of murder was once every two days.
While the report indicates a decrease in cases compared to 2022, there’s ongoing concern about the risks faced by those working in areas affected by internal conflict. The sectors most affected include indigenous groups, community leaders, peasants, Afro-descendants, victims, SOGID-LGBTIQ+ individuals, and human rights activists.
The Colombian Ombudsman’s Office (DPC), established under the 1991 Constitution and regulated by Decree 025 of 2014 and Legislative Act 02 of 2015, has recorded 1,294 leader murders in Colombia from 2016 to 2023.
Despite the 2016 peace accord and subsequent investigations into human rights abuses, issues persist in Colombia, including violence from armed groups, limited access to justice, high poverty levels, and economic disparities that disproportionally affect Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. While the government continues to address and prosecute human rights abuses, delays are commonplace.