Colombia's recent history is marked by civil war. Until 2016 guerrillas, paramilitary units, armed forces, drug cartels, and the government fought each other. This was a very violent period when human rights received little attention and were massively violated. Naturally, the civilian population was gravely affected by the constant lack of security and attacks, but also the unstable conditions of the government severely impacted the lives of the population. In addition, citizens were often cut off from basic services, such as water. However, the ceasefire in 2016 offered the population the opportunity to establish humane conditions. To this end, the government has promoted many initiatives to fulfil human and socio-economic rights. Nevertheless, it is still difficult for victims to enforce their rights, especially when regional structures are not yet ready. In his chapter, "Corporate accountability concerning socio-economic rights in Colombia," Jernej Letnar Černič looks at how victims of violations of socio- economic rights can find justice. Although he refers to violations of rights by companies, his explanations provide good insights into the conditions and structures in Colombia. As it is often the case in weak developing countries, companies exert a great influence on the respect and protection of human and socio-economic rights—especially since governments adjust their regulations to try and attract foreign investors. Yet, opening the market often proves difficult for the locals. For example, small local farmers cannot adhere to international regulations, or they struggle to adapt when their previous practices are forbidden. This inevitably opens the way for large international corporations and often robs the citizens of their livelihood. Low incomes in state administration promote a corrupt state apparatus; this inevitably creates the ideal conditions for foreign companies with high financial resources. Moreover, in such situations, companies can often violate human rights and socio-economic rights without fear of consequences. In order to protect these rights, it is very important to clarify corporate responsibility and to ensure that victims of legal violations can take action against companies. Černič shows Colombia's creative approach regarding the protection of socio-economic rights. The chapter refers to Article 86 of the Constitution, which states that "everyone can bring before the ordinary courts a constitutional complaint in order to protect their rights against acts or omission of public authorities." Nevertheless, Černič is critical of the access to justice available to the most vulnerable groups; in particular, in light of an observed resurgence of warlike activities. In 2019, the UN registers 200,000 victims of new conflicts. 13,000 are said to have been arrested in their villages by paramilitaries. Forced recruitment was also recorded. This proves how important it is to establish orderly structures quickly and effectively and to guarantee human and socio-economic rights for the population. Only in this way can peace be established in the long run and humane living conditions be created.
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