A/HRC/43/3/Add.3 Annex Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Colombia I. Introduction 1. The present report provides an assessment of the human rights situation between 1 January and 31 December 2019 in Colombia. In accordance with the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace – the peace agreement signed between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaPeople’s Army (FARC-EP) 1 – the present report also examines the implementation of human rights aspects of the peace agreement as pertains to transitional justice, security guarantees, comprehensive rural reform and victims’ rights. 2. In 2019, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia conducted 1,151 field missions and 376 capacity-building activities for State institutions and civil society, and followed up on 250 cases of alleged human rights violations. 3. OHCHR provided technical assistance to State institutions at the national, department and municipal levels, notably to the Office of the Ombudsman, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Procurator General, the Ministry of Defence and the National Land Agency. It also collaborated with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and with the inter-American human rights system. 4. On 30 October 2019, the host country agreement between the Government and OHCHR was renewed until 31 October 2022. II. Context 5. OHCHR stresses the importance of continuing the efforts to advance in the implementation of all chapters of the peace agreement, in a comprehensive and sustained manner, especially in rural areas and with a particular focus on victims’ rights and general enjoyment of human rights. As this is a long-term process, continuing support and commitment by Colombian society and the Colombian authorities is necessary, as well as support from the international community. OHCHR recognizes the efforts made by the Government and FARC-EP to advance with the reintegration of ex-combatants. According to the latest report of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, the number of former FARC-EP members who were in academic activities had risen from 2,461 in January 2019 to 5,059 in October 2019.2 While the vast majority of former members of FARC-EP remained committed to the peace process, OHCHR was deeply concerned that a number of former commanders, including two head negotiators, had returned to arms. 3 6. OHCHR continued to observe persistently high levels of violence generating serious human rights violations. Of particular concern were attacks against human rights defenders and indigenous peoples, and an increase in the number of cases of alleged arbitrary deprivation of life, as well as of grave human rights violations committed against children in the context of violence and armed conflict. OHCHR consistently highlighted the need to address, especially in rural areas, structural causes of violence, which are linked to lack of access to human rights.4 1 2 3 4 2 In the peace agreement, see points 3.4.3; 3.4.7.4.2; and 5.1.2; paras. 60 and 62 read in conjunction with para. 53 (d); and points 6.3.4 and 6.4.2. S/2019/988, para. 41. See https://colombia.unmissions.org/comunicado-de-prensa-de-la-misi%C3%B3n-deverificaci%C3%B3n-de-la-onu-en-colombia-agosto-292019. A/HRC/34/3/Add.3, para. 45; A/HRC/37/3/Add.3, paras. 14–15; and A/HRC/40/3/Add.3, paras. 11 and 18–19 et al.