Refugees International: Reports: IDP Housing in Colombia: Is the Government Doing its Job?

Home About Us Donate Where We Work Issues Blog

IDP Housing in Colombia: Is the Government Doing its Job?

In 1997, Colombia passed Law 387, which requires the government to provide housing, education, medical attention, income generation opportunities, and emergency food aid to displaced families. Despite this requirement, Refugees International has consistently found that the government has not yet met its legal responsibility to its displaced population – which now numbers almost 3.7million people, representing the 8% of the Colombian population.

Colombia 2007: Displaced family from Chinolito

Photo Credit: Refugees International
02/15/2007
Raúl and Maria Suarez built this house themselves for their family of eleven people when they fled the village of Chinolito, Sucre in 2002. The Suarez family cannot afford to send their children to school, and medical attention is limited. Raúl would like to access credit and land programs so that he can begin to farm again, the only profession he knows. No such opportunities have presented themselves. Instead, Raúl works as a day laborer when there is a job available – about one day a week. The family feeds itself by sharing its resources with other displaced families in the neighborhood – only by pooling what they have can all survive. Though the Suarez family would like to return to Chinolito where they can support themselves from the land they still own, they know that the government is only providing limited security in town. Men from the village are currently investigating whether it is safe to work the fields around Chinolito.