Colombia is in the midst of a social, economic and political crisis. A controversial government tax reform has been the straw that broke the camel’s back. On April 28, a nationwide strike began after Iván Duque’s government announced a tax reform. The planned tax increases would have particularly hit the middle class and the poorer population, which triggered a wave of nationwide protests that lasted for months. The government responded with violent repression.
Young people spearheaded the protests. Feelings of frustration, powerlessness and hopelessness among Colombian youth exploded in these protests. A desperate generation sees itself robbed of its prospects by the economic consequences of the pandemic and is frustrated by the false promises of the peace process. The rampant general strike was an outlet for pent-up discontent with the government. The repressive violence of the police forces led to an escalation of the situation. In the press and official statements, the young demonstrators were labeled as vandals and terrorists.
Partner organizations of terre des hommes schweiz Platohedro and Paz y Bien reacted quickly to the heated situation. Present in the two main cities affected by the protests (Cali and Medellín), they are specialized in youth violence prevention. “The worst thing for young people was the feeling of not being heard but being defamed and humiliated,” explained Elodia Nieves Balanta of Paz y Bien. Both organizations focus on psychosocial approaches to violence prevention. Through training offered by terre des hommes schweiz, young people learn solution-oriented approaches and are trained in nonviolent communication. The main focus is on methods of listening and solution-oriented conversations. During the general strike, Paz y Bien and Platohedro organized awareness-raising events on nonviolent activism and dialogue events in the neighborhoods to enable community reflection on the events. Telephone counseling for at-risk groups was an essential element of their psychosocial work. This approach had already proven effective in the first year of the pandemic in response to the high psychological stresses of lockdown and isolation. During the general strike, psychosocial telephone counseling gained even more importance. Through calls and online dialogue formats, youth peer educators address the mental health needs of peers and share feelings, emotions, and experiences related to the pandemic and the general strike. The peer-to-peer component has proven effective in responding quickly and connecting with the hardest-to-reach groups.
