Assistance to Vulnerable Populations in Colombia - ICRC 2010

March 12 2010 - More than four decades of internal violence in Colombia have resulted in the displacement of more than three million persons with over half a million Colombian refugees fleeing to Ecuador Venezuela Panama and Costa Rica to seek protection from the violence. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial neutral and independent organization that draws its mandate from the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols of 1977. The ICRC's primary mission is to help protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence. CIDA's contribution is supporting the ICRC to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in Colombia. Examples of activities include: protection for victims of sexual violence; training and technical support to Colombian Red Cross volunteers to enhance their skills in the provision of relief and psychological support to internally displaced persons distributing essential household and relief items; repairing water supply and sanitation systems small-scale repairs to health infrastructure provision of emergency health care to sick and wounded; promotion of international humanitarian law into the armed forces' doctrine and documenting alleged violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.