NIMD Colombia is committed to supporting women in politics and implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We are a proud member of the LEAP4Peace Consortium, an international initiative that seeks to promote the full and meaningful inclusion of women in political and decision-making processes as a condition for maintaining peace.

We work directly with female politicians in Burundi, Colombia and Myanmar, providing mentorship, technical training, and networking opportunities, as well as seminars and online learning platforms on gender equity, inclusivity, and political parity.

In this way, we ensure that women can work for the consolidation of peace by participating in public decision-making.

We are also implementing our Gender Roadmap for Inclusive Political Parties (GRIPP), a five-step process that promotes non-discrimination, equal political rights and the participation of women and men in political parties and movements.

And we are seeing progress, with the number of women MPs in Columbia rising with each election, and women appointed to more senior positions. Political institutions are also increasingly sensitive to the threat violence against women poses to political inclusivity and are taking steps to address this. To help achieve this aim, NIMD Colombia established the Observatory on Violence Against Women in Politics, a network of experts and NGOs working in this space

NIMD Colombia runs Democracy Schools in some of the most volatile regions in the country, where activists frequently face violence and abuse. But by coming together and sharing their experiences, a new generation of Colombian leaders are building their strength, knowledge, and skills.

With funding from the European Union, NIMD runs Democracy Schools across Colombia, welcoming civil society organizations and aspiring politicians from all parties in regions most affected by the conflict.

The curriculum included topics such as democratic theory, political reconciliation, debating skills, and enhancing women and marginalized groups’ participation in politics. By providing a safe and open space for politicians to train and debate, NIMD sought to bolster reconciliation between the once-warring groups within the country.

And in 2021, NIMD Colombia and Colombia’s Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) launched their first ever School for Dialogue, Innovation and Leadership, bringing together political journalists and social, political and community leaders for training in leadership, political innovation and open governance.