Thirteenth Quarterly Status Report: INCLUSION FOR PEACE ACTIVITY (IPA)

The program aims to promote peace and inclusion in Colombia, particularly in ethnic communities affected by conflict. The IPA is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Cooperative Agreement No. AID-514-A-17-00001. The program's main objective is to enhance the capacity of the Government of Colombia (GOC) to respond to the differential needs of ethnic communities and to promote their engagement in peace-building processes. To achieve this goal, the IPA focuses on four intermediate results: Community and Institutional Strengthening, Reduced Vulnerability to Income Poverty, Increased Awareness and Respect for Ethnic Diversity, and Humanitarian Assistance to Afro-Colombian and Indigenous People. During the reporting period of October 1 to December 31, 2019, progress was made in each of the IPA's four intermediate results. In the area of Community and Institutional Strengthening, the IPA supported the development of strategies by GOC institutions to address the differential needs of ethnic communities. The program also facilitated knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and collaboration between GOC institutions and communities. The IPA's efforts in this area resulted in the production of important documentation aimed at improving the inclusion of ethnic populations. For example, the Attorney General's Office adopted a "Preventive Policy of the Attorney General's Office for Ethnic Peoples" through Resolution 1073 of 2019. Additionally, the publication of the First National Report on Racism and Racial Discrimination in Schoolchildren built by the Racial Discrimination and Racism Observatory was a significant achievement. In terms of institutional strengthening, the IPA supported the development of the Institutional Capacity Index for Ethnic Attention (ICAE), which measures the ability of GOC institutions to offer differential attention to ethnic populations. The ICAE showed a considerable progress, with an average increase of 62.9% in the 16 evaluated institutions. The program also supported the design and development of strategies by GOC institutions to apply a differential approach, with 99% completion of this goal. Furthermore, the IPA supported 21 GOC initiatives with the participation of communities, placing indicator 5 over 100%. The program's work with GOC institutions this quarter focused on knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and collaboration in various sub-activities aimed at promoting inclusion and ethnic awareness. In terms of financial management, the IPA reported a total confirmed fund of USD 50,000,000 and total cash disbursements of USD 30,039,534 during the reporting period. The program's financial report is presented in detail in the annexes of this report. Overall, the IPA's progress during the reporting period demonstrates its commitment to promoting peace and inclusion in Colombia, particularly in ethnic communities affected by conflict. The program's efforts in institutional strengthening, community engagement, and humanitarian assistance have contributed to the achievement of its intermediate results and have laid the foundation for sustainable peace and development in the country.