On International Women’s Day, ABColombia calls on the UK Government to strengthen and further develop its newly released – and weakened – Human Rights Defenders Guidelines.

Civic space is shrinking and women human rights defenders globally are under attack. Colombia is a clear example, for decades it has been the most dangerous country in the world to be a human rights defender. In the first six months of 2025 there were 83 violent attacks against women defenders, 10 of which were killings, with a further 17 killings in the second half of the year.

“Women face the same threats as male defenders and additional threats especially in conflict settings where misogynistic attitudes drive the violence. In Colombia these include, threats, gender-based violence, harassment, attacks against their families, and sexual violence.” Louise Winstanley, Programme and Advocacy Manager, ABColombia

Colombian Indigenous Wiwa leader Elizabeth Mojica, was killed in November 2025. She had been leading efforts to locate children forcibly recruited by armed groups. She was abducted from her home and subsequently killed. Many women defenders are sacrificing their lives in Colombia as they lead efforts to locate and bring home children recruited by armed groups. 

  “The UK has always been strong on the protection of defenders, Colombian women deserve stronger guidelines on the support that they UK is able to offer, not weaker ones” Louise Winstanley, Programme and Advocacy Manager, ABColombia

Colombia continues to be the one of the world’s most dangerous countries for environmental and land defenders. Women face compounded risks as community leaders, caregivers and peacebuilders in territories affected by armed group expansion and competition over natural resources.

At a time when attacks against defenders are increasing and civic space is shrinking, the UK’s renewed guidelines seem to have taken a step backwards. Seven commitments have been removed from the previous guidelines, including commitments to support and promote responsible practices by extractive industries. The removal of such commitments can leave defenders more vulnerable to corporate abuses, while failing to highlight risks faced by environmental, and land defenders could result in less targeted support for these groups.

Protecting women human rights and land defenders is not optional — it is fundamental to sustainable peace in Colombia.

For press interviews:

For interviews with Louise Winstanley, Programme and Advocacy Manager of ABColombia, please contact Communications Coordinator Ana Reyes-Hurt at areyeshurt@abcolombia.org.uk; UK mobile phone number: 074894267934

Further information:

ABColombia: ABColombia is the joint advocacy project of five leading British and Irish organisations with programmes in Colombia: CAFOD, Christian Aid UKI, Oxfam GB, SCIAF and Trócaire. Amnesty International and PBI are observers. ABColombia members work with over one hundred partner organisations in Colombia. Many of ABColombia partners are local and national women’s organisations and human rights defenders working specifically on issues impacting Indigenous, Afro-Descendant and peasant farmer communities. ABColombia has been working with women’s organisations throughout the Peace Talks to support ethnic leaders and civil society organisations to achieve a gender focus in the Peace Accord.

UK Guiding Principle to support human rights defenders

The weakened guidance contrasts with the UK’s pledge to ‘Defend civic space and fundamental freedoms’ as one of its four priorities for its seat on the UN Human Rights Council,” and lack clarity on how the UK will guarantee consistent implementation, meaning defenders have less knowledge on what they can expect from – and request of – UK diplomatic missions.

Guarantees omitted include, raising specific cases with authorities, including ministerial or via a formal demarche, or concerns with companies when a UK company is implicated.

Forced recruitment of children

According to the United Nations, the number of recruited girls and boys by armed groups has increased 300% over the past five years. One child is recruited every 20 hours.

Although recruitment by armed actors is not new, the methods have changed and expanded, with technological innovations, such as social media, facilitating recruitment. Armed groups are also removing the children from their territories and reallocating them far from home, making it more difficult for their families and communities to find them, and fracturing their cultural, territorial and ancestral identity.

Most recruited children come from Indigenous communities. In Cauca department alone, there were 838 documented cases of recruited children between 2022 and 2025. However, there is severe underreporting, as many families fear reprisals if they speak out. According to a new report, authorities’ response has been limited, which has led to the communities taking matters into their own hands, and exposing them to serious risks. Women are often who lead these efforts.

Situation in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

The human rights situation in the region of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta – where Wiwa Indigenous leader Elizabeth Mojica – has become increasingly alarming. There has been an upsurge in violence caused by confrontations from armed groups seeking to control the illicit economies of gold and drugs along the trafficking corridors. This has resulted in threats to life, forced displacement, confinement, and a threat to the very collective identity of the five indigenous groups in the area. This has been highlighted by two early warning alerts from Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office

In 2025, two additional Wiwa indigenous leaders were killed, in addition to Elizabeth Mojica. In December, another important Wiwa leader was forced to flee with his family for their safety, following an attempt on his life.