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Presentation

Since 2004, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Food Program (WFP) have been working, jointly, in a process to establish the living conditions of the displaced population in the country.

This process, motivated by the two institutions’ concern for the Colombian civilian population affected by the conflict, has materialized in two studies that provide an overview of the displacement phenomena, its causes and consequences. Today, after two years of work, we are pleased to submit for your consideration the executive summary of the joint study, whose purpose is to further the identification of the displaced population’s needs, as well as the current institutional response in view of improving the care provided to this population group.

The study was carried out between November 2006 and June 2007, in eight (8) of the most important host cities for displaced population in the country, i.e.: Barranquilla, Bogota, Cartagena, Florencia, Medellín, Santa Marta, Sincelejo and Villavicencio. Data gathering was performed by “Unión Temporal Econometría - Sistemas Especializados de Información S.E.I. S.A.”; the firm hired to carry out the study.

The ICRC and WFP hope that the results presented here, in a summarized manner, enable the different actors associated with the provision of assistance to the displaced population in the country, to become even more sensitive to the situation and the needs of this population. This is how we hope that the National, Provincial and Municipal governments, the national non governmental organizations, the international organizations, the private sector, civil society and the organizations of the displaced population, all of which constitute the active parties in the national reflection on this issue, join efforts and resources in order to improve and provide more services for this population. In this sense, this document aims to support constructive dialogue and a better coordination of such initiatives.

Finally, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude to the displaced and resident population, to the national and municipal institutions, to the regional teams of both our institutions, to the head offices of the ICRC and WFP in Geneva and Rome, and to the “Unión Temporal Econometría- S.E.I. S.A.” for their decisive and valuable support in this process.