Blog to the Supporters of “Merit Pays”
The programs “Merit Pays” (Spanish “Ser Pilo Paga”) that the national government recently inaugurated has been met with differing reactions. The debate deals with two positions: on one hand, there are those that highlight its benefits: the program promotes the social mobility of a talented group of young people while it also installs greater diversity and inclusion in private universities. On the other hand, there are those who, like us, are not so convinced and argue that the program directs public funds to the private sector instead of strengthening public tertiary education and that it restricts access to university education to an exceptional minority of high school graduates, excluding the majority.
Read MoreMinistry of Mines: Accepted but Not Obeyed
One of the Santos administration’s first good moves was to undo the merging of unrelated ministries during Uribe’s presidency, like the union of the Ministry of Environment and Housing. However, a recent law confirms that the Ministry of Environment is once again being absorbed, this time by the Ministry of Mines.
Read MoreLand Restitution in 2015: On Trial by Fire
The evaluation of land restitution policies ought to look beyond the numbers and identify the challenges that it faces.
Read MoreStained with the Same Grease
Palm oil production creates two main problems: one environmental and one social.
Read MorePeace and Referendum
It could be that the Public Prosecutor is correct in saying that a Peace Agreement with the FARC does not legally require a referendum. However, it is necessary considering democratic political legitimacy.
Read MoreThe Meritorious Students’ Scholarships
Last year I wrote a column in which I told Victor’s story, a young man from Aguadas (Caldas) whom I know since he was a little boy.
Read MoreWire-Tapping to Be Evaluated by the OECD?
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) evaluators have arrived to analyze if Colombia has good practices and can join the rich countries’ club.
Read MoreMerit Pays
The start of the government programs “Merit Pays” (Spanish “Ser Pilo Paga”) which gives university scholarships to the very best low-income students reminded me of the story of a young Gabriel García Márquez when he arrived from the Caribbean coast to Bogotá.
Read MoreThe Victims in the Peace Process
Victims’ participation in the peace negotiation roundtable between the FARC and the national government is an iconic event for our country. Many have minimized the importance of this participation without knowing it is unprecedented in other similar negotiation processes.
Read MoreThe International Criminal Court’s Promise of Justice
Responsibility for the success or failure of the Rome system depends on all the actors involved
Read MoreAccess to justice for women victim of sexual violence.
The Alliance Initiative of Colombian Women for Peace, the Center
Study of Law, Justice, and Society, the Lawyers Collective José Alvear
Restrepo, the Colombian Commission of Jurists, the Consultancy for
Human Rights and Forced Displacement, the Corporation “Casa de la Mujer”,
the Sisma Mujer Corporation, the League of Displaced Women, the Working Group on Women and Armed Conflict, the Democracy, Gender, and Human Rights, and the Women’s Pacific Route, gathered at the follow-up table of the order issued to the Attorney General’s Office and the
invitation to the Prosecutor General’s Office related to the reserved annex of
Auto 092 of 2008 of the Constitutional Court, present the
fourth monitoring report entitled “Access to Justice for Women
victim of sexual violence”. The table has the support from the Office in Colombia of the High Commissioner of the
United Nations for Human Rights and UN Women.
In order to read the report, download the PDF.
Read MoreThe power of sexual harassment (III)
POWER AND SEX have always had an intimate relationship, literally.
Read MoreSex, lies, and disequilibrium
What can we conclude from the clear imbalance between a white and millionaire man, with confessed weakness for women and a black and immigrant woman thirty years younger, with questioned credibility?
Read MoreAngelino vs Vargas Lleras: the problem is now in the Court
The coverage of the fight between the Vice President and the Minister of Interior was incomplete.
Read MoreThe Court, protagonist defender of the Constitution
Dejusticia examines the reasons for the prominence of the Constitutional Court in the last 20 years.
Read MoreThe constitution in perspective (I)
20 years after, the 1991 constitution has proven to be the most important social and political pact to broaden democracy and to achieve institutional modernization in recent decades.
Read MoreThe failures of a success
Throughout the continent, drug policies have failed to reduce drug trade and have flooded the justice system and caused overcrowding in prisons. At the same time, social demand for more security prompted little strategic responses that have not achieved the expected results.
In this context, the Transnational Institute (TNI), the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (IAEN) convened international experts to participate in the Forum “Drug policies and public safety: facing the challenge in Ecuado”, which took place the 2d of March, from 9h00 to 18h00 in the IAEN auditorium located in Amazonas and Villalengua.
To see the intervention of Rodrigo Uprimny, executive director of the Center for the Study of Law, Justice, and Society -DeJusticia- watch the video.
Read MoreThe fate of natural resources in foreign hands
The FTA could serve as a legal weapon for multinational corporations, giving them more ability to influence environmental policy in Colombia.
Read MoreThe rules of sexual harassment (II)
How do sexual harrasers get away with it?
Read MoreA breeding rejoice!
The law that extends maternity leave to 14 weeks, although successful, is not sufficient to ensure the welfare of children, family protection, and gender equity.
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