Peace is Not Written, It is Built

“IHL is not an abstract idea that can be reduced to empty words, but a framework that should guide the daily operations of all parties to a conflict, state and non-state, and must be upheld by each of its members, regardless of rank. […] Upholding IHL not only offers a clear path to achieve this, but also constitutes an urgent and unavoidable obligation”.

Olivier Dubois - Head of the ICRCʼs Regional Delegation in Bogotá

In the third decade of the 21st century, Colombia is experiencing systematic human rights violations. A report published by the ICRC in May 2026 states that “In 2025, Colombia experienced the worst humanitarian consequences of armed conflict over the past decade. This deterioration is not solely explained by the intensification of hostilities, but also by how hostilities were conducted and civilians were treated, in a context marked by a failure to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL)”.

The Ombudsman’s Office in Colombia, as part of the Public Ministry, was established by the 1991 Political Constitution, drawing on models such as the Swedish (1809) and Spanish (1981) models, which pioneered the defense of individual and collective rights vis-à-vis the State. Its primary function, established under Article 282 of the Constitution and further developed in Decree 025 of 2014, is to promote, uphold, and disseminate human rights, with the authority to issue public recommendations and bring legal actions to defend the Constitution, the law, and the public interest.

The Political Constitution grants the Ombudsman the authority to exercise what is legally referred to as a moral magistracy. The Ombudsman’s Office “is a kind of moral and symbolic power derived from its ability to influence through the credibility and respect generated by its actions, reports, and denunciations. For example, in Sweden, the Ombudsman, which served as a model for Ombudsman institutions around the world, may ask a public official to correct a problem affecting a citizen, but its recommendation is not legally binding. However, it is very rare for the official being criticized to disregard it, not only because of the respect the Ombudsman commands, but also because the media, which closely follow its reports, would strongly criticize anyone who failed to comply with such a recommendation” (Rodrigo Uprimny, Own translation). In other words, “its opinions, reports, and recommendations derive their authority from the National Constitution, the law, society, its independence, its moral standing, and its high position within the State” (Soraya Pérez, Own translation).

On September 6, the Ombudsman issued a statement in the exercise of her mandate, reminding us, among other things, that “even in war, there are limits” and that “legitimacy does not arise from the fear that the State can instill, but from the trust it is able to inspire.” Peace requires respect for the human rights of everyone. That is why, at Fundación Camino Vital, we invite everyone to remember that each of us has a role to play in defending human rights and building peace.

“Human rights are universal, inherent, inalienable, unconditional, essential, indivisible, interdependent, intangible, imprescriptible, and inviolable” (Own translation). Paper can bear anything. There are laws, reports, and human rights standards, but they are of little use if they are not translated into concrete action. Investing in peace means protecting, accompanying, and welcoming those displaced by conflict; protecting the dignity of women experiencing human mobility; and standing alongside those who, like the Ombudsman’s Office, raise their voices when rights are violated. Amid so many tragedies in Colombia and around the world, we join the commemoration of the International Day of Peace because we continue to have hope. Supporting the Ombudsman’s Office is not merely a symbolic gesture: it means sustaining one of the few institutions that, despite having no power to impose sanctions, continues to insist that human rights must be upheld.