VZCZCXYZ0023
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0716/01 0541855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231853Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3006
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KWMN KPAO PHUM AID CO
SUBJECT: S/WGI PROJECT PROPOSAL - COLOMBIA 
 
REF: 09 STATE 132094 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
¶1. Embassy Bogota nominates the project proposal "Political 
Training for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous Women" by the 
Departmental Network of Choco for the Secretary's Office of Global 
Women's Issues (S/GWI) small grants initiative.  The project 
complements Post's strategy to promote opportunities for 
Afro-Colombians and the indigenous, and advances USG objectives in 
Colombia by strengthening civil society and development in two of 
the country's most vulnerable communities.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
AFRO-COLOMBIAN AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES: 
 
AN EMBASSY PRIORITY 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. Colombia's populations of Afro-descendants (between 11 and 20 
percent of the population) and indigenous (between one and three 
percent) suffer from discrimination, social exclusion, structural 
poverty, and a lack of political participation.  This 
marginalization allows illicit drug cultivation and trafficking in 
their communities, subjecting them to disproportionate violence. 
Embassy Bogota has made a concerted effort to allocate resources 
towards these communities through programs sponsored by USAID and 
the Public Affairs Section.  The identified project is directly 
linked to Mission priorities to implement programs that help 
Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations realize greater 
participation in the political and economic life of Colombia.  On 
January 12, Deputy Secretary James Steinberg and Colombian Foreign 
Minister James Bermudez signed an Action Plan on Racial and Ethnic 
Equality. 
 
 
 
PROJECT NOMINATION: POLITICAL TRAINING FOR 
 
AFRO-COLOMBIAN AND INDIGENOUS WOMEN 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶3. PROBLEM STATEMENT 
 
 
 
Indigenous and Afro-Colombian women suffer additional barriers 
based on both gender and ethnicity.  The nominated project focuses 
on women from the western Department of Choco along the Pacific 
Coast, which is primarily Afro-Colombian and Indigenous and has the 
highest levels of poverty in Colombia.  Women from Choco suffer 
from social, economic, and political exclusion, leaving them at a 
stark disadvantage when competing with their male counterparts for 
political office; the issue of displacement compounds this problem. 
According to official statistics, 40% of the population of Choco 
has been displaced since 1995 and over 50% are women. 
 
 
 
¶4. PROJECT SUMMARY 
 
 
 
The nominated project targets women in Choco for activities that 
promote training, development, and political participation at the 
school for political leadership, "Women from Choco to Power."  The 
school teaches women how to develop a successful political campaign 
and design effective public policy.  In addition to empowering 
women, the school raises awareness among men through training on 
gender-specific issues.  A portion of the project's funds will be 
dedicated to strengthening coordination between the Departmental 
Network of Choco Women of Colombia and the Network of Young Women 
in Choco, both of which play a role in the school's administration 
and are well positioned to promote change and development. 
Additionally, the project will support two income-generating 
initiatives that will be managed by displaced women community 
 
leaders who plan to pursue careers in politics.  These displaced 
women will receive political leadership training at the "Women from 
Choco to Power" school.  The Departmental Network of Choco Women 
has already raised 30% of the funds needed to fund the project. 
 
 
 
¶5. DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION 
 
 
 
Objective 1: Political Training and Capacity Building of Women in 
Choco 
 
 
 
Activity 1.1: Three 8-day trainings on human rights, public 
administration, cultural identity, advocacy, and campaign 
management. 
 
 
 
Activity 1.2: A 2-day on-the-job training exercise at the City 
Council of Quibdo (the capital of Choco) and the Departmental 
Assembly. 
 
 
 
Activity 1.3: Six workshops, three for young women and three for 
displaced women, that strengthen leadership skills. 
 
 
 
Expected Results: 60 women and 10 men with expressed interest in 
running for office better equipped to run an effective campaign and 
serve as public servants with a sensitivity to gender issues.  15 
displaced women leaders and 10 young women empowered and equipped 
to actively participate in the political process in their 
communities. 
 
 
 
Indicators: Number of women/men trained, number of participants 
registered as candidates, number of participants elected to public 
office.  Number of displaced women that run for public office and 
number of displaced women that are elected. 
 
 
 
Objective 2: Income-generating projects to support displaced women 
 
 
 
Activity 2.1: Creation of a store that sells local fresh produce 
("Tienda Club") and is owned/managed by displaced women identified 
as leaders and potential political candidates who represent the 
interests of displaced women. 
 
 
 
Activity 2.2: Creation of a store that sells local textiles 
("Empresa de Confecciones") and is owned/managed by displaced women 
identified as leaders and potential political candidates who 
represent the interests of displaced women. 
 
 
 
Activity 2.3: Political and business training for displaced women 
in charge of the two mentioned stores. 
 
 
 
Expected Results: The creation of two sustainable businesses that 
benefit displaced women and the increased participation of 
displaced women in politics.  At least two displaced women elected 
for public office. 
 
 
 
Indicators: Number of displaced women trained, number of displaced 
women registered as candidates, and number of displaced women 
elected to a public office. 
 
Objective 3: Strengthening Local Organizations 
 
 
 
Activity 3.1: A three-day regional conference in September 2010 
with leaders from 52 civic organizations which form the 
Departmental Network of Choco Women to develop an action plan. 
 
 
 
Activity 3.2: A one-day workshop with the Governor and the 
Departmental Secretaries to discuss the issues that affect women in 
Choco. 
 
 
 
Activity 3.3: A national conference on female entrepreneurship for 
leaders from the 52 civic organizations. 
 
 
 
Expected Results: An organized and prepared network of 
organizations representing women in Choco with a developed action 
plan.  Local government officials will be more aware of the issues 
affecting women, particularly displaced women.  A cadre of better 
trained female leaders, particularly in business, will be formed. 
 
 
 
Indicators: Number of participants in the design of a regional 
action plan for the network, number of agreements achieved with the 
government towards the promotion of the rights of women in Choco, 
and number of businesses created by women from the network. 
 
 
 
Objective 4: Ensuring sustainability 
 
 
 
Activity 4.1: Develop an evaluation which includes a summary of the 
results achieved under objectives 1-3 to sustain and build upon the 
network's foundation. 
 
 
 
Expected Results: An evaluation that details the process and 
results from each aforementioned workshop and activity. 
 
 
 
 
 
¶6. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY 
 
 
 
The Departmental Network of Choco Women of Colombia is an umbrella 
group of 52 civic organizations.  It was created in September 1992 
and is represented in 18 of the 31 municipalities of the western 
Department of Choco.  Its mission is to promote gender equality and 
contribute to the social development of the Department. 
 
 
 
The structure of the network is as follows: 
 
¶1. A General Assembly with 52 delegates each organization 
represented; 
 
¶2. A coordinating team with seven coordinators elected by the 
General Assembly every three years; 
 
¶3. A general Coordinator and/or Legal Representative elected by the 
coordinating team; 
 
¶4. Working groups for finances, special projects, and relations 
with other organizations; 
 
¶5. A senior advisor, normally one of the founders and director of 
one of the 52 organizations; and 
 
¶6. Facilitators and tutors. 
 
During the past 18 years, the Departmental Network of Choco Women 
has trained and empowered many women, as well as raised awareness 
among men about gender issues.  The network currently has over 
1,000 female and 25 male members.  The network has attracted both 
national and international attention and has received support from 
the Canadian Embassy in Colombia, the Spanish Women's Institute, 
and USAID. 
 
 
 
The network currently manages two income-generating projects: a 
restaurant that serves food from the region, "La Paila de mi 
Abuela" and an artisan store, "Tienda Artesanal de la RED."  Not 
only do these two projects generate employment and income for 
community members, but they also help generate revenue for the 
network which is then invested in training for affiliated 
organizations to strengthen their leadership and advocacy skills. 
 
 
 
In 2007, the Departmental Network of Choco Women received an award 
from one of Colombia's leading newspapers, El Tiempo, for being the 
organization that best meets its mission in Choco.  In 2009, the 
organization received the Madeleine K. Albright Grant for its work 
to create greater roles for women in the region's civil and 
political life.  The organization largely depends on fundraising 
efforts to fulfill its mission of empowering as many women as 
possible. 
 
 
 
¶7. PROPOSED BUDGET AND POINT OF CONTACT 
 
 
 
A proposed, detailed budget was e-mailed to the Secretary's Office 
of Global Women's Issues per instructions.  POC at post is Deputy 
Political Counselor Shelby Smith-Wilson. 
NICHOLS