Colombia – Workers’ rights

By Daniel Morris | 14. April 2021

I. CONTEXT

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Strategy “Commitment for the future of Colombia” [“Compromiso por el futuro de Colombia”]

  • Job creation: the government seeks increasing employment through a strategy that combines support to Small and medium enterprises (which generate around 90% of employment in the country), acceleration of infrastructure projects, incentives to orange economy [economía naranja] projects_, development in connectivity and digital transformation and support to sector specially impacted by the pandemic such as tourism and the hotel industry.

 

VIII. FUNDAMENTAL PILLARS

i. Fundamental Pillar 1: The State’s obligation to protect human rights

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Strand 2 [Eje nº 2]: Encourage the creation of regulations and strategies that promote respect for human rights in the development of business activities.

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  • The Ministry of Labour will formulate departmental plans for the eradication of child labour and the protection of adolescent workers within the framework of the CIETI [Comité Interinstitucional para la Erradicación del Trabajo Infantil].

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  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will carry out actions to formalise employability relations in the rural sector and basic minimum income, in accordance with the recognised rights of rural workers, taking into account a differential approach for the sector.

Strand 4 [Eje nº 4]: Promoting inclusion and non-discrimination in business activity

  • The Presidential Advisor’s Office for Human Rights and International Affairs will carry out accompaniment and advice sessions for employers on the importance of labour inclusion for the vulnerable population, highlighting its importance in the reactivation phase of Covid-19.

Strand 5 [Eje nº 5]: Articulating spaces for social dialogue and effective participation

  • The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism [MINCIT] will link public-private policy networks related to competitiveness, productivity and income and employment generation to human rights and business processes and guidelines.

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  • The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will implement strategies to continue to guarantee the right of association of small and medium producers and participation of farmers in public policy decisions affecting the sector.

 

ii. Fundamental Pillar 2: The duty of business to respect human rights

Strand 1 [Eje nº 1]: Provide companies with the tools to fulfil their responsibility to respect human rights

  • The Ministry of Labour will promote respect for the fundamental right of association, unionisation and bargaining through accompaniment and training.

Strand 3 [Eje nº 3]: Train public and private companies on the need to mitigate the consequences of possible human rights impacts due to their operations, products or services provided, with an emphasis on those located in the region

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  • The Ministry of Labour [Mintrabajo] will support the strengthening of the trade union association process through training focused on raising awareness among the labour force on the right to association.