As part of the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, OIDHACO spoke during the dialogue with the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. Link to the full session OIDHACO also took the floor during the interactive dialogue with the
Brussels, 27 April 2026 On the occasion of the Conference on the Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels, to be held in the Colombian city of Santa Marta from 24 to 29 April 2026, the undersigned organisations reiterate the need for the EU and Europe to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and transform their extractive economic
Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) threatens a just transition from fossil fuels and the urgent need for a social and ecological transformation for people and the planet. We welcome the recognition and inclusion of this risk within the thematic pillars of the First Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels. We call on governments to begin
We would like to thank MEP Rima Hassan and Cristina Guarda for raising the issue of the risk that EU trade and supply chains linked to Colombia may be connected to human rights violations. Here is the full text of the question submitted on 17 March, which can be found on the European Parliament’s website at this
Article by Agencia Pública Baudó In this article (in spanish), Camilo Alzate González explains that “for decades, the press and successive governments promoted open-cast coal mining in Cesar and La Guajira as a means of bringing progress to a poor region far removed from the country’s major industrial centres. Now that mining has gone into
How do REDD+ project offsets affect life in local communities in Colombia? At OIDHACO, we wish to highlight this important report produced by the Centre for Business and Human Rights on carbon markets and their relationship with human rights. This report analyses the impacts of the voluntary carbon market in Colombia, with a focus on
Hundreds of organisations (including OIDHACO) and social movements reject the corporate-led deregulation agenda. Europe’s industrial and economic strategy must strengthen — not sacrifice — environmental integrity, social justice, human rights, labour rights and democratic accountability. Strong standards are not a burden — they are the foundation of Europe’s long-term economic resilience. Public money and political
We would like to thank MEP Jaume Asens for raising the issue of the importance of strengthening the national safeguards mechanism for human rights defenders in Colombia. It is a vital channel of communication between human rights organisations and the Colombian state. Here is the full text of the question submitted on 24 February, which
We would like to thank MEP Ana Miranda for her question, which highlights the risk that European investments in Buenaventura could jeopardize human rights. At Oidhaco, together with several of our member organizations, such as Peace Brigades International, we have been raising awareness about the situation in Buenaventura and the surrounding area. Here is the
We would like to thank the Members of the European Parliament who highlighted the need to move toward a just transition in the European Parliament. Here is the full text of the question submitted by the MEPs on 10 February, which can be found on the European Parliament’s website at this link. Social organisations will
We are deeply concerned about all victims of armed conflict, repression and violence around the world — from Sudan to Syria, including the persecution of the Rohingya and so many other crises that often receive less international attention than they deserve. Each of these situations calls for solidarity, remembrance, justice and action.
However, we have decided to specifically highlight the message ‘Stop Genocide in Palestine’ because what is happening in Palestine represents not only a human tragedy of enormous magnitude, but also a direct challenge to the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and to the rules-based international system itself. The indifference and complicity of much of the international community in the face of the apartheid regime imposed by the Israeli government on the Palestinian people represent one of the greatest moral and political contradictions of our time.
The persistent violation of essential norms — such as the protection of the civilian population, the prohibition of collective punishment and respect for proportionality in the use of force — not only has devastating consequences for the Palestinian population, but also erodes the global mechanisms designed to limit the power of states and prevent abuses.
When these rules are repeatedly breached without any effective consequences, the framework that protects all populations in conflict situations, anywhere in the world, is weakened. Therefore, speaking out in this case does not mean ignoring other forms of suffering, but rather emphasising the urgency of defending an international order which, if it collapses, leaves everyone in a more vulnerable position.
Drawing attention to this situation is, therefore, an act consistent with the universal values we uphold: the protection of life, human dignity and respect for international law, without exception.