Colombia
Informazione paesi
Colombia
1. International Family Mediation
Family mediation, in Colombia, is legally recognised, commonly implemented and encouraged by the State. Family mediation can be provided according to Law 640 (2001).
The Information System of Conciliation, Arbitration and Amicable Solution (SICAAC) of the Minister of Justice and Law provides a list of Conciliation Centres in Colombia. Choose your region and check if the centre chosen provides family mediation (website is in Spanish).
There is no specialised structure for international family mediation in Colombia.
2. International Legal Framework
1) Colombia is a Party to the 1980 Hague Convention.
The 1980 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which provides procedural guidelines on the return of children and their protection in cases of international parental child abduction.
Contact Central Authority established in Colombia for cases of child abduction.
2) Colombia is a Party to the 1989 Inter-American Convention.
The 1989 Inter-American Convention: a multilateral treaty among 14 American States that, similar to the 1980 Hague Convention, secures the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully removed from their country of residence.
Contact the Central Authority established in Colombia designated under the 1980 Hague Convention to find out whether the Inter-American Convention prevails in your case and learn how to initiate an application for return of your child.
3) Colombia is not a Party to the 1996 Hague Convention.
The 1996 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which determines jurisdiction, applicable law, co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and access rights, as well as civil and public measures for the protection or care of children.
You can determine whether all countries relevant to your case are Parties, or not, to the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, the 1996 Hague Convention on Child Protection and/or the Inter-American Convention on the International Return of Children in order to locate the appropriate central authority. As for the 1980 Hague Convention, you can check whether the Convention is in force between two specific States in the Spreadsheet showing acceptances of accessions to the Child Abduction Convention.
3. Legal and Psycho-Social Expertise and Support
Fundaterapia Foundation is a non-profit organisation regulated by the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) which provides family conciliation and family psychotherapy especially to people who do not have easy access to specialised psychotherapeutic support (website is in Spanish).
Fundación Si Mujer is a non-profit organisation providing assistance and help to women who are victims of domestic violence or who have been left alone with children.
Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social Cáritas Colombiana (SNPS - Cáritas Colombiana) provides training, educational and psychosocial support to young people and their families for prevention of urban youth violence in Bogotá and Medellin. You can contact their main office here (website in Spanish).
4. Child Welfare Services
The Colombian Family Welfare Institute is a Colombian state entity, which works for the prevention and comprehensive protection of infancy, childhood, adolescence and well-being of families in Colombia. The Institute provides nutrition, protection, empowerment, and preventative structures for high-risk children, adolescents, and the elderly.
Ninos de Papel Colombia is a non-profit organisation which accompanies, assists and helps children and adolescents in dangerous and risky situations in which their human rights are violated (website is in Spanish). The organisation provides social inclusion programs alongside programs dealing directly with prevention, protection, and specialised treatment for children.
Children International – Colombia is a non-profit organisation which focuses on gang violence prevention, especially the violence which occurs against young girls. The organisation contains community centres for both children and graduated students to help further their educational and financial goals. They also provide healthcare to children and adolescents who may not be receiving adequate healthcare and teaching preventative care at community centres.
SOS Children's Villages in Colombia offer Family Strengthening Programme and works with local organisations and communities to support vulnerable families so that they can stay together. They ensure that families have access to basic goods and services such as health care and education and also provide training and advice so that parents can break the cycle of poverty and generate an income to look after their children. These services are provided in villages in Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Floridablanca, Ibagué, Ipiales, Quibdó, Riosucio, Soacha and Tumaco. You can contact them directly here (website in Spanish).
Children Change Colombia is a UK's charity working exclusively in Colombia providing support to children who have lived on the street, been displaced by the conflict or who have escaped the armed groups. They work in partnership with local children's organisations who have a proven record in defending the rights of children and families most affected by poverty, inequality and conflict.
Fundación Antonio Restrepo Barco provides inclusion programs for children with special needs and disabilities. The organisation ensures the safe education of children and adolescents by providing resources to families with school children (books, educational help, etc.) and training teachers (website is in Spanish).
Fundación Juan Felipe Gómez Escobar provides support for teenage mothers who may need support due to exile, rape, family complications, and poverty. It also strives to lower the infant mortality rate in Colombia (website is in Spanish).
5. Support to Bi-National Couples, Cross-Cultural and Migrant Families
Fundación Esperanza provides legal and social support to migrant families and displaced families, especially victims of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, forced displacement and child exploitation (website is in Spanish).
Secretariado Nacional de Pastoral Social Cáritas Colombiana (SNPS - Cáritas Colombiana) provides refugees with orientation, legal advice, health care, education, housing assistance, access to job opportunities, vocational training and learning, validation of degrees, learning Spanish language. You can contact their main office here (website in Spanish).
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Access to Professionals / Hotlines:
- Corpolatin runs a free helpline in Cali, where poverty and violence levels are high. The helpline can be accessed free of charge by calling '106'. Corpolatin also offers online support through live chats and e-mail (website is in Spanish).
- Colombia Caravana is a charity organisation based in the UK which provides legal counselling and monitors human rights violations against lawyers, including family mediators, in Colombia in order to ensure that their work is not affected in any detrimental way.
Useful brochures / Documents of reference:
An Institutional Guide on Family Conciliation was elaborated in Spanish by the Ministry of Interior and Justice in 2007.
Useful guides for parents concerning mediation practice and child abduction prevention can be found in our Library.