IOM and Colombia's Department of the Interior have initiated a
project to study eight territories facing poverty and insecurity
inhabited by the country's Afro-Colombian communities.

The aim is to analyse their social and economic situation, their
cultural characteristics and the economic potential of their land.
It is the first time a study of this kind is being made with the
active participation of community members.

It is anticipated the study will lead to a detailed analysis of
their problems and needs, in order to provide more efficient policy
guidance on the public assistance and protection services that
should be offered by the Colombian government to this
population.

The eight communities selected for this project are located in
different regions across the country: Valle del Cauca, Cauca,
Cesar, Bolívar, Nariño and Chocó.

These were selected for a number of reasons. Many have been
seriously affected by the armed conflict. Some do not have formal
title deeds to their land. Afro-Colombian communities have the
right to own collectively land inherited from their ancestors. But
without formal title deeds, they cannot claim land rights and
cannot access grants and credits for rural development projects.
The lack of title deeds also leaves them in risk of losing their
land to illegal armed groups and drug dealers.

These communities also suffer from a lack of strong social
organisations and have few basic services such as healthcare,
housing and education.

Together with a Colombian research organisation, Cifras y
Conceptos, and with USAID funding, IOM will carry out surveys, hold
workshops, create focal groups, and organize visits to the field
and community exercises as part of the investigation.

The project was inaugurated on February 17th in the community of
San Basilio de Palenque, a little village on the north coast of
Colombia, which symbolizes the African dimension of Colombia's
cultural heritage.

The village was founded in the sixteenth century by African
slaves who fled from their masters and established a free community
where African cultural traditions were mixed with Spanish and
native ones.

The village has been declared part of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and is also known as the first free
community of America. But today, San Basilio de Palenque, as well
as other ancestral communities, faces poverty and insecurity.

"We hope that with this participatory investigation, the
Colombian government can protect and assist Afro-Colombian
communities more adequately. We also want these communities to take
ownership of this investigation process so that, in future, they
can lead this process in neighbouring communities," says IOM
Colombia Chief of Mission Marcelo Pisani.

For more information, please contact:

Jorge Gallo

IOM Bogota

Tel: +57 1 6397777

E-mail: "mailto:jgallo@iom.int">jgallo@iom.int