Colombia

The NEU works closely with the campaign group Justice for Colombia (JFC) and our sister education union, the Federation of Colombian Educators (FECODE), to uphold human rights, advance peace and improve access to education in Colombia.  

The UK Government is the penholder for the Colombian peace agreement at the United Nations Security Council, giving it a key international role in overseeing its implementation.

Background 

Colombia is world’s most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists. More than 1,000 teacher trade unionists have been murdered since 1980, at least five FECODE affiliated teachers in 2025. 

The Colombian armed conflict was for a long time the world’s longest running active civil war. After numerous failed attempts, in 2012 a successful peace process was initiated between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas with a final agreement signed in November 2016.

The far-right threat to peace in Colombia

Gustavo Petro entered office in August 2022 as Colombia's first ever progressive president, introducing a wide-ranging reform agenda focused on investing in public services and building a more peaceful and equitable society.

The election of the far-right presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office in August 2026 after narrowly defeating left-wing senator and human rights defender Iván Cepeda by a single percentage point, now threatens these hard-won gains. 

De la Espriella has proposed a far-reaching programme of executive decrees aimed at reducing the size of the state and cutting public spending, many of which would violate the constitution. He has pledged to reverse many of the progressive policies introduced under the Petro administration, which lifted some four million people out of extreme poverty.

Justice for Colombia has warned that De la Espriella’s “hostility towards political opponents could augur the return to systematic state-backed violence against trade unions, political opponents, social activists and others”.

In the face of these threats to peace, human rights and the fight against inequality, renewed solidarity with Colombia’s progressive and trade union movement is more important than ever.

Education under attack in Colombia 

Despite recent advancements in the peace process, many children in conflict-affected areas remain unable to attend school, while they are also at risk from forced recruitment into armed groups. Teachers are targeted for trying to protect them and for their community organising roles. Whilst far-right politicians regularly stigmatise teachers over their trade union activity. 

Attacks on education occurred on average every three days during the first six months of 2026, with almost 12,000 children, teachers and school staff affected by the violence, according to data from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

60 per cent of attacks took place directly inside the classrooms and school grounds, with the remainder occurring on the routes children take to school. Incidents included the military occupation of school buildings, the deployment of explosive devices on school grounds, the forced recruitment of children, and armed confrontations that put the lives of students and teachers at risk.

In addition to armed conflict, internal displacement, and growing climate hazards, Colombia hosts nearly 3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants. All of which present significant challenges to Colombia’s over-stretched education system. 

Supporting children to access education  

Along with other British and Irish education unions, the NEU was proud to provide financial support for a school bus for secondary-age students in the village of Tierra Grata, in the department of Cesar, in a campaign run by JFC.  

While the community of Tierra Grata had been able to build a primary school, secondary school children had to travel to the nearest town on rudimentary roads, which were not passable in heavy rains.