New mine risk workshops launched in the Chocó region of Colombia

Geneva Call has recently launched a series of new workshops on mine risk education in the Chocó department of Colombia. The workshops aim to raise awareness of the issue of landmines and the risks they pose to civilians.

The first such workshop was organised in the new humanitarian space known as the “territorio interétnico, humanitario y ambiental” in San Pedro de Ingará, located in the municipality of San José del Palmar, Chocó in November 2018 for more than 30 people from 6 rural communities in the region. The Chocó department is home to a mainly Afro-Colombian population and has been significantly impacted by conflict. Geneva Call’s work in this region is generously supported by the Canton de Genève and United Nations Mine Action Service. This workshop was the first in a series of training and awareness-raising events set to continue over the coming months.

Earlier in the year, community training sessions on international humanitarian law were also organised in the Cauca, Nariño, and Arauca departments with the objective of enhancing civilian self-protection. These departments are among the most affected by conflict in the country. Each training session had around twenty participants, from diverse communities, including those from Afro-Colombian and indigenous backgrounds. The Director of Operations Hichem Khadhraoui also visited Colombia in November along with the Head of Region, Mehmet Balci, to review and reassess Geneva Call’s strategy and objectives in the region.