Print page

Colombia: MIRE+, Assistance to Victims of Violence


The humanitarian crisis in Colombia continues despite growing efforts towards peace. Armed groups fighting for territory and valuable natural resources inflict extreme harm on rural and ethnic communities. In line with the Swiss interest to respond to humanitarian crises, SDC remains dedicated to supporting these communities, enhancing their individual and collective resilience. The project integrates humanitarian action with a developmental and peace orientation (nexus).

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Colombia
Migration
Agriculture & food security
Water
nothemedefined
Forced displacement (refugees, IDP, human trafficking)
Household food security
Water sanitation
01.10.2023 - 31.03.2025
 CHF  3’200’000
The project in brief
Background Colombia’s complex situation stems from historical, political, and social issues, resulting in protracted crisis, even after the 2016 Peace Agreement. The 2022 government’s "Total Peace" policy, prioritizing negotiations with illicit armed groups, marks a turning point. Yet, the ICRC documents continued group proliferation. Marginalised Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities in the Pacific Coast suffer most. In 2023, 7.7 million people are in need and face threats of violence, evidenced by 82,000 displacements and 119,000 confinements, exacerbating already existing humanitarian crises.
Objectives To rebuild the resilience of conflict-affected communities (14,000 people) on Colombia’s Pacific Coast by improving access to protection, basic services, strengthening community capacity and improving institutional advocacy to initiate and catalyse their development process.
Target groups

The programme will continue serving conflict-affected communities on the Colombian Pacific Coast, emphasizing Afro-Colombian and indigenous groups hit hardest by armed violence. It will also support those vulnerable to natural disasters.

In its early recovery component (nexus), funded by SDC, the MIRE+ will serve:
Direct participants: Approximately 5,000 people accessing services and capacity-building.
Indirect  participants: An estimated 9,000 people benefiting from community and institutional reinforcement.
This occurs in communities able to start an early recovery process.

The rapid response and humanitarian relief operation components funded by ECHO, BHA and AECID will serve in the entirety of Colombian territory approximately 42,891 people experiencing  acute  humanitarian emergencies.
Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1. Individual Resilience: The people´s dignity, wellbeing, and security are improved.

Outcome  2. Community  Strengthening: Communities contribute to rebuild their social cohesion.

Outcome  3. Institutional  Advocacy: 
Strengthened institutions are open to dialogue and to building resilience and peace together.
Results

Expected results:  

Output  1.1: Individual case management for armed violence victims.

Output 1.5: Mental health support for individuals and families.

Output 1.4: Strengthening family-owned agricultural initiatives.  

Output  1.6: Sensitisation to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

Output 2.1: Elaborate community self-protection plans.

Output 2.6: Rehabilitation and reinforcement of community-based WASH infrastructures.

Output  2.10: Training leaders in mental health strategies.

Output 2.11: Educating leaders on GBV identification and referrals.

Output 3.1: Enhancing sector best-practices for public servants in WASH, health, protection, and food security.

Output 3.3: Fortifying health pathways and protocols.


Results from previous phases:  

Up to July 2023, the project has achieved:

Outcome 1 – Protection: 
7,283 participants benefiting from strengthened protection community plans.

Outcome 2 – WASH:
3,681 participants have access to new water and sanitation systems.

Outcome 3 – Livelihoods and Food Security:  
1,146 direct participants of livelihood and food security strengthening.
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
  • Other international or foreign NGO North
  • Consortium of INGO´s: MIRE+ (Spanish Acronym for Mechanism of Integrated Emergency Response), composed of: The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Action Against Hunger (AAH), Médecins du Monde France (MdM); Consortium Lead Organisation: NRC


Coordination with other projects and actors The MIRE+ mechanism, supported by SDC, will merge with MIRE, supported by ECHO, USAID, and AECID. This enhances coordination across humanitarian operations, from relief to recovery. It promotes the scalability of project insights and results among key stakeholders in humanitarian and development sectors, including communities and institutions.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    3’200’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’833’434 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   2’283’871 Budget inclusive project partner CHF   8’483’871
Project phases Phase 2 01.10.2023 - 31.03.2025   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.07.2021 - 30.11.2023   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
    OTHER MULTISECTOR
    WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Facilitation of orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility
    Household food security programmes
    Basic sanitation
    Cross-cutting topics Crisis prevention
    Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
    Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F10157

Start of page
Last update 08.05.2020