Combating gender-based violence amid Colombian armed conflict : NGOs’ activities, empowering approaches and ongoing challenges : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Abstract

Gender-based violence threatens sustainable development and equitable outcomes across the world, with 1 in 3 women reported to experience it at some point in their lifetime. In the case of Colombia, a tradition of machismo and armed conflict has fostered violent masculinities that sustain gender-based violence in the country. Despite efforts to reduce high rates of gender-based violence in Colombia, including the implementation of key national legislation, the issue is persistent. Civil society, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), remains committed to the fight against gender-based violence, achieving important gains towards its elimination. However, as global aid budgets shrink, NGOs are facing significant challenges in their work, which largely relies on international donors. This study explores the activities NGOs are undertaking to combat gender-based violence amid the Colombian armed conflict, highlighting their empowering approaches and the challenges they face in their current operating environment. Using a qualitative methodology, the research is grounded in the lived experiences and insights of those engaged in this work. A conceptual framework considering factors across different societal levels, from the individual to the familial, community, societal, and international, illustrates that the causes of gender-based violence span these layers. At the same time, NGOs employ diverse activities to target each level. NGO approaches have led to notable achievements towards empowerment at individual and structural levels, from offering direct support to victims to implementing national legislation and addressing structural causes of gender-based violence. Nonetheless, challenges persist, including issues with the concept of ‘empowerment’, staff burnout and safety risks, institutional barriers, and entrenched gender norms. Furthermore, the retraction of aid from international donors presents a major challenge for NGOs, threatening their very survival. In this context, this thesis underscores the essential role of NGOs in combating gender-based violence and reflects on how regressive gender ideals and cuts to aid budgets, especially those targeting gender issues, could diminish or even dismantle these efforts. Such reductions risk negative impacts on gender relations and equality in Colombia, reflecting a broader global concern.