Geneva Call welcomes the announcement of the official start of the negotiations between the Colombian Government and the ELN
13 October 2016
Geneva Call is delighted with the official start of the peace negotiations planned on the 27th of October in Quito, Ecuador, as announced on the 10th of October by the Colombian Government and the ELN. Geneva Call commends the parties for this significant development.
In this context, Geneva Call calls upon the parties to undertake humanitarian and confidence building steps from the onset of the negotiations. Particularly, it recommends the conclusion of humanitarian agreements on the protection of children and on humanitarian demining to the benefit of communities affected by the conflict. It further encourages the parties to guarantee the full participation of women in the negotiations and a systematic inclusion of a gender sensitive approach in the whole peace process.
In the framework of this peace process, Geneva Call states its commitment and willingness to accompany the parties in relation to humanitarian issues, joining forces with the different efforts to protect the civilian population.
Geneva Call is a humanitarian, neutral and impartial organization based in Geneva, working in Colombia since 2003. Geneva Call was originally invited by the Colombian Government to support the search for a solution to the problem of anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war in Colombia.
