IWPG Global Region 2 Signs MOU with ASOVIAFOR, an Association of Victims of the Colombian Conflict
juliet
January 07, 2026
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IWPG Global Region 2 Signs MOU with ASOVIAFOR, an Association of Victims of the Colombian Conflict
On January 1, 2026, IWPG Global Region 2 held an official meeting with ASOVIAFOR, an association of victims of the Colombian conflict, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for mutual cooperation. This meeting went beyond a symbolic agreement and served as a space to reflect on peacebuilding led by women and victims themselves. The partnership marked a meaningful connection between an international women’s peace organization and a South American victims’ alliance. What stood out was the focus on voices rooted in lived experience.
ASOVIAFOR is a civil society alliance formed primarily by women who have directly experienced forced displacement, loss of family members, and sexual violence during Colombia’s prolonged armed conflict. Rather than remaining passive recipients of aid, the victims themselves became the driving force of the organization. Through regional networks of women and affected families, they have continuously worked toward community recovery and peacebuilding. Their work reflects a collective effort to rebuild life beyond conflict.
Beyond victim support, the organization has focused on healing local communities through shared memory and lived experience. By promoting women’s social participation, providing peace and reconciliation education, and encouraging community dialogue, ASOVIAFOR has developed grassroots peacebuilding models. These efforts have positioned the group as a key actor within Colombia’s victim-centered civil society movement. Their accumulated experiences have become valuable resources for peace.
This agreement is significant as a starting point for expanding a cooperation model in which victims and women actively participate as agents of peace, beyond state- or system-centered approaches. It also highlights a structure where local realities are respected within international solidarity. Through collaboration between organizations, the language of peace is given space to take root on the ground. It truly reflected the idea of peace built together.
Following the MOU, IWPG plans to engage in further in-depth discussions regarding specific areas of cooperation. Based on mutual trust and shared understanding, both parties aim to explore phased and sustainable collaboration. Rather than focusing on immediate outcomes, the emphasis is on building long-term partnerships. It reinforced the idea that peace grows through relationships.
At the signing ceremony, Global Director Seo Yeon Lee stated, “Peace does not become reality through declarations alone, but through education and solidarity within local communities.” She expressed hope that this agreement would serve as a meaningful starting point for women and communities affected by conflict to stand as agents of peace themselves. Her remarks emphasized practice. The direction of peace grounded in reality was clearly conveyed.
In response, ASOVIAFOR representative Rosi Albani Perez Belalcazar noted that collaboration with IWPG would be a significant step in empowering women at the center of conflict-related suffering. She expressed hope that the agreement would mark a turning point where victims are no longer silent subjects, but active builders of peace. The emphasis on victims’ voices stood out strongly. Her words captured the essence of the partnership.
This MOU is meaningful in that it lays the groundwork for expanding women- and victim-led peace solidarity beyond Colombia to the broader South American region. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to share grassroots peace practices with the international community. Small connections have the potential to grow into broader alliances. It will be worth watching how this collaboration unfolds.
Reference : https://vo.la/45ssShr
