Colombia

In Colombia, UNDP developed a comprehensive people-centred portfolio on access to justice, within the framework of a larger programme area on the rule of law that includes human rights, transitional justice and security sector reform. The access to justice portfolio focuses on peacebuilding, community empowerment and serving historically excluded populations. The interventions are shaped within four key areas: preventing and addressing gender-based and domestic violence with a participatory, rights-based approach; strengthening institutional capacity to reduce barriers to justice; promoting community mediation and alternative dispute resolution; and supporting the establishment of the Agrarian and Rural Jurisdiction to resolve land disputes and advance rural peace, as outlined in the 2016 Peace Agreement.

This country report focuses on UNDP’s contribution to the establishment of the Agrarian and Rural Jurisdiction, backed by the Justice Action Coalition and supported through the Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development. Additional support was provided by the Colombia Ministry of Justice and Law, local governments, as well as the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Sustaining Peace. The project was implemented in coordination with national and local authorities, justice system actors, civil society and community organizations.

Land distribution in Colombia remains starkly unequal, with less than one percent of large rural entities controlling a disproportionate 44 percent of privately owned rural land. This imbalance is compounded by weak land governance: fewer than half of rural households possess formal land titles, and cadastral records are updated in a very limited number of cases. These gaps in legal and cadastral data fuel land tenure insecurity, obstruct sustainable development and contribute to persistent land-related conflicts. Recognizing these challenges, Colombia has taken significant steps to reform its rural justice system.

UNDP’s support for the early establishment of the Rural and Agrarian Jurisdiction in Colombia, and its broader work on land-related access to justice, has had a significant impact on local communities. This work has introduced a conflict resolution model that blends formal legal mechanisms with community-based approaches, promoting a preventive rather than adversarial approach to managing disputes.

Through the development of educational materials and methodologies, both local communities and public officials were empowered to understand and engage with the new justice system. These efforts have enabled communities to recognize and document their traditional methods of resolving land conflicts, navigate the legal and institutional frameworks governing rural land tenure and actively participate in conflict resolution using preventive strategies. As these practices are integrated into the functioning of the new jurisdiction, communities will be better prepared to adopt judicial procedures, improving the documentation and resolution of land-related cases. This foundation not only enhances the effectiveness of the new system but also contributes to territorial peace by reducing rural conflict, strengthening land tenure security, as well as aligning environmental, territorial and agrarian planning

To ensure sustainability and national ownership of these achievements, UNDP strengthened collaboration between local and regional stakeholders to coordinate and enhance efforts in implementing the Agrarian and Rural Jurisdiction. As a result, a formal agreement was signed among the Office of the Ombudsperson, the Land Restitution Unit, the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as local social leaders from various municipalities.