Bogotá, February 3, 2021
As an opportunity to vindicate equal rights for women who laid down their arms, the Agency for Reintegration and Normalization – ARN currently provides permanent nationwide social and economic support to 4,328 female ex-combatants in processes of reincorporation (3,272) and reintegration (1,056).
“During the last 18 years, the ARN has been implementing actions aimed at eliminating the stigmatization of women, reducing barriers, contributing to their autonomy, promoting their active participation in all processes of reincorporation and reintegration policies, and identifying specific needs to develop comprehensive strategies that contribute to the advancement of rights and the closing of gender gaps, seeking to improve their own quality of life and that of their families", assured Andrés Stapper ARN Director General.
Similarly, female ex-combatants are hopeful about initiatives for gender equality in legality. This is what a woman in Reincorporation – and a leader – from Nariño has to say: "I hope for all women to be empowered, and I hope we understand that we have the same rights as men; that we are no less than they are".
Omaira Rojas, known as Sonia when she was in the former FARC-EP guerrilla, became the chief financial officer of Frente 14 and the leader of Bloque Sur within this group. Today, she works with Raíces del Sur foundation (Caquetá) and leads projects for the dispersed population in reincorporation. This work encourages Omaira to fulfill the commitment made in the Agreement: "We support other ex-combatants, so they have a job or a productive project and so they do not return to war."
Rights of the women in reincorporation
Currently, Of the 13,119 ex-combatant signatories of the Peace Agreement in the process of reintegration with the agency, 3,272 are women (25 %). Economic autonomy has been promoted amongst these women in order to guarantee independence in their lives. In this regard:
ü 100% of the approved collective productive projects have a gender-based approach in their design.
ü 94% of women are bankarized.
ü 89% of women have a monthly allowance
ü 50.6% of all women in reincorporation are engaged in (individual or collective) productive projects, or on the path of labor inclusion.
ü 84% of women are registered with the Pension System
ü 99%, of women are registered and active within the Healthcare System
ü 59.6% have reached levels of basic secondary / high school education.
ü 32.8% have enrolled in academic training programs in the last six months
ü 23% of women with children and / or single mothers have enrolled in academic training and / or training for the trades, in the last six months.
ü 26.4% of women have enrolled in training for the trades in the last six months.
ü 56% of the delegates before Territorial Reincorporation Councils are women.
Rights of women in reintegration
1,056 women currently carry out this process with ARN agency.
ü 73.7% of women who have completed – or are still in – their reintegration process have received an economic insertion benefit (92% opted for business units and 8% chose the housing benefit).
ü 20% registered with the Pension System
ü 62% of women who completed – or are currently undergoing – reintegration are high school graduates and 80% have accessed job training processes.
ü 82% of women are registered and active in the Health System.
ü 90.7% have participated in social service days in their communities.
Data of interest:
• In the last 18 years, 10,592 women ex-combatants have joined the reintegration and reincorporation processes led by the ARN. Of these, 4,767 women in reintegration successfully completed their transition to civilian life (Reintegration Route).
• As an unprecedented event in a peace process, it was agreed that the reincorporation process would have a differential approach in all its components, with an emphasis on the rights of women.