A/HRC/7/39
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79. The approval of policies for health56 and education57 has all in all been positive and should
serve as a basis for other specific measures that will guarantee the rights of sectors that are
particularly vulnerable and discriminated against.
III. ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE IN COLOMBIA
80. During 2007, the office in Colombia received 1,871 complaints and followed up 1,563 of
them. A total of 234 observation missions were undertaken, which represented 606 days of
field visits. The office in Colombia continued with its activities in other areas of its
mandate - advisory services, technical cooperation and dissemination - from Bogotá,
Bucaramanga, Cali and Medellín. On the first of these areas, activities were concentrated mainly
on instruction regarding international standards of transitional justice, the prevention of
violations of human rights, particularly extrajudicial executions, the scope of military
jurisdiction, discrimination, gender-based violence and the rights of victims. Regarding
dissemination activities, there were 42 press releases and 11 lectures on subjects such as peace
and human rights, victims’ rights, gender and armed conflict and impunity, among others.
81. The renewal of the office in Colombia’s mandate was preceded by a joint reflection
exercise of between State agencies and the office regarding its activities in Colombia since 1997,
and the performance of the State. This exercise enabled themes of common interest to be
identified and the scenarios to enrich the implementation of the Agreement to be created. Also,
an assessment of the impact of the office in Colombia was made during the year in a frank and
productive dialogue with Colombian organizations, civil society and the international
community. The analysis led to recommendations that will prove useful in enriching the
responses which the office in Colombia will make to new demands and needs that arise with
regard to the situation of human rights and humanitarian law.
82. Working with the embassies of Spain and Sweden and with the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), the office in Colombia continued to support the Government
and civil society in the process of formulating a National Action Plan on Human Rights and
International Humanitarian Law, with encouraging results in the definition of criteria for a
methodology for agreeing content and stages for substantial progress in 2008. The office in
Colombia also provided advice to the National Plan for Education in Human Rights, which
advanced in 2007 by forming five regional technical teams and by developing pilot plans for the
five regions.
83. Among other technical cooperation projects implemented in the course of 2007, there was
the programme to incorporate a human rights-based approach into municipal development
plans. The office in Colombia offered advice to local authorities and civil society organizations
in 20 municipalities and 2 districts of Bogotá.
56
National Public Health Plan 2007-2010.
57
National Decenial Education Plan 2006-2016.
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