[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1135, 206], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action is also in line with LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025⁵ which encourages the EU to make specific efforts to combat violence and ensure that LGBTIQ rights are upheld in partner countries."}, {"bbox": [96, 217, 1135, 405], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action responds to EU's priorities and the Colombian government's commitments towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 Gender Equality, targets 5.2 and 5.3 that aim at ending all forms of discrimination and violence against all women and girls everywhere, as well as SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities through target 10.2 conceived to empower and promote the social economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity. It is also in line with the objectives and expected results of the priority area 1 of the Multiannual Indicative Plan (MIP) focused on Peace, as it addresses gender inequalities as root causes of gender-based violence, particularly in conflict affected and fragile areas."}, {"bbox": [96, 416, 1135, 497], "category": "Text", "text": "This action also incorporates a support mechanism for civil society organisations to strengthen feminist and LGBTI platforms and organisations, as well as their community mechanisms for advocacy, prevention, support, and protection for victims of GBV."}, {"bbox": [85, 537, 323, 568], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 603, 234, 630], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [85, 647, 1145, 755], "category": "Text", "text": "Following the election of Gustavo Petro as president of Colombia, a public discourse, favourable to an agenda of gender equality and inclusion, provides opportunities for joint collaboration to pursue common development goals. His government program, structured in three pillars of Peace, Social Justice and Environmental Justice, is properly integrated with the political dialogue and cooperation agenda between Colombia and the EU."}, {"bbox": [85, 766, 1145, 926], "category": "Text", "text": "However, domestic violence, feminicides, sexual abuse and harassment in the school, at work, in the street or online, are some of the expressions of gender-based violence that persist at concerning levels. Other manifestations of gender violence such as sexual abuse, the control of women's bodies, trafficking for sexual exploitation, threats and intimidation, take also place in regions affected by fragility, armed violence and conflict. Social and indigenous women leaders are still under threat, adding to an already very long list of leaders assassinated or disappeared. Confinements and displacements of rural communities continue, which particularly affect women and girls."}, {"bbox": [85, 938, 1145, 1068], "category": "Text", "text": "Even though Colombia has made great efforts to increase **inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised people**, important challenges remain: insecurity and structural violence in some areas of the country, where there is weak or inexistent State presence; difficult access to land, **land inequalities** and a weak land governance, all closely linked to the root causes of the conflict; and growing violence against human right defenders and social leaders, as well as demobilised individuals."}, {"bbox": [85, 1082, 1145, 1187], "category": "Text", "text": "**Inequality**, which remains a structural problem, coupled with unemployment and informality, have been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. **Inequality** is multidimensional, as it spans from social to economic, it has gender and ethnic dimensions, and it is related to distribution of wealth and rural-urban economic disparity and is clearly reflected in the distribution of land."}, {"bbox": [85, 1201, 1145, 1282], "category": "Text", "text": "In this context of poverty and inequality in Colombia, women and girls are often more vulnerable, have greater obstacles in accessing basic goods and services and face increased risks of experiencing gender-based violence. The lack of economic autonomy reduce their chances to leave violent relationships."}, {"bbox": [85, 1293, 1145, 1428], "category": "Text", "text": "Although the economy had rebounded impressively after the lows caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a 9.9% growth in 2021 and with prospects of a 5% increase in 2022, internal and external factors such as the war in Ukraine, the fears of a global recession, increased levels of inflation, the impact of the oil and gas crisis and the rising costs of raw materials, puts enormous pressure on the stability of the financial system in Colombia. Given **Colombia's patterns of inequality** and informality, this is of little help to the 42.5% of the population who lives in poverty."}, {"bbox": [85, 1439, 1145, 1519], "category": "Text", "text": "The 2022 national budget is at a record COP 350 trillion (almost EUR 80 billion). There is a new fiscal reform to finance the national budget which will inevitably touch on highly sensitive topics such as unequal pension system, the VAT and, more generally, a tax system that has no impact on inequalities. The reform foresees an increase in tax"}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 1145, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2020-11/lgbtiq_strategy_2020-2025_en.pdf"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1145, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 24"}]