Public actions in Colombia for the prevention and response to violence against women: A study of Cauca and Popayán

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to characterize the referential frameworks and public actions for the prevention and responses to violence against women in Colombia; At the same time, how these reference frameworks have been incorporated into the plans, policies, and programs of the territorial entities (departmental and municipal) is reviewed, based on a critical review of the cases of the department of Cauca and its capital Popayán. The qualitative methodology incorporates the technique of documentary analysis by reviewing institutional reports, tracking resolutions, agreements, treaties, and consulting and reviewing laws, decrees, judgments, and public policy documents. In conclusion, it is proposed that Colombia has collected and incorporated into its legal system international advances concerning the protection and guarantee of the rights of women victims of violence. However, when it comes to making these normative achievements effective in concrete actions in the territories, several difficulties are noted: lack of training for officials, difficulties in realizing regulations, lack of resources, limited technical capacity, and local institutional weaknesses.