Tenth Quarterly Status Report: Victims Institutional Strengthening Program

The program's objective is to strengthen capacities and build necessary competencies for the timely and effective execution and implementation of the Victims Law. The program's context is influenced by the increased visibility of victims-related topics in the public agenda, given discussions on the victims point in Havana and the implementation of the Law at the local level. This increased visibility has led to concentrated efforts by the Victims Unit and responsible institutions to implement and territorialize the Law. The program has responded to emerging requests from the Victims Unit, including the dissemination of evaluations on the reparation model and changes in humanitarian assistance to displaced persons. Substantive progress was made in each of VISP's four intermediate results during the reporting period. Intermediate Result 1 focused on improving access to inter-institutional teams and services for assistance, attention, and comprehensive reparation in dignified conditions. Renovations and improvements were made to the victims attention point in Cartagena and the victims attention office in Fundación, providing victims with access to these services. Intermediate Result 2 involved the institutionalization of a self-care strategy for the Victims Unit through the Human Talent Office. This strategy was developed to provide psychosocial welfare to persons who attend to victims. Additionally, a methodological proposal was completed to incorporate a differential approach for children and adolescents and victims of the armed conflict in the Registry to Locate and Characterize Persons with Disabilities (RLCPD). Intermediate Result 3 focused on the issuance of Decree 2569 of 2014, which establishes procedures to deliver emergency humanitarian attention and transitional aid for victims of forced displacement. This decree modifies politics for humanitarian attention to displaced populations in Colombia and was technically assisted by VISP. The GoC expects to focus its attention on households that have overcome the lack of minimum subsistence and can be prioritized to receive reparation measures. Intermediate Result 4 involved the design and approval of 27 projects for communities of ethnic victims. A proposal was constructed for the organizational strengthening of indigenous communities, and four prototypes were completed (design of life plans, design of ethnic-development plans, production of cacao, and financing victims' return plans). Additionally, 19 learning circles were held for 194 female victims of sexual violence, developing an applied methodology to strengthen their participation and protection. The program's financial report for the quarter shows a total confirmed fund of $65,452,500, with total federal funds authorized at $56,322,579 and total cash disbursements at $29,993,317. The program is actively involved in responding to emerging requests from the Victims Unit and is expected to continue its efforts in the coming quarter.