Glasgow Centre for International Development

This research responds to the landmark Colombian Constitutional Court Ruling T- 622, which recognises the River Atrato in Chocó as a bearer of rights and calls on both communities and the state to be its 'Guardians'. Chocó is Colombia’s poorest and most ethnically diverse department. Social organisations have declared an ongoing ‘humanitarian crisis’ in the region, which is manifest in continued violent confrontations between different armed actors over territory and resources, displacement of communities and the lack of access to sustainable livelihood systems for many of the department’s Afro-Colombian and Indigenous inhabitants Riverine communities have been deeply affected by widespread, illegal alluvial gold mining, which interacts with political conflict and is a key factor in driving the crisis.  

The project will co-produce a series of ‘river stories’ with local communities that bring together data from the natural and social sciences. The ‘stories’ will help provide evidence to Indigenous communities and Afro-Colombian descendants living along the Atrato to support their demands to enforce the river’s rights. Project team members will work with local social organisations, the Ministry for Environment and Development, international NGOs and specialist networks to improve the processes of sustainable peace building in Colombia.

This work is supported by an ESRC Newton Caldas grant, and the team have successfully collaborated on additional projects in the region, including a GCRF Small Grant for COVID-19 response.

First published: 21 January 2021