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 the world’s most dangerous country for trade unionists. More than 1,000 teacher trade unionists have been murdered since 1980, including close to 40 teachers since 2018.
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. But despite the peace process and the election of Colombia’s first progressive government in 2022, violence and inequality still impact many communities.
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.
The Norwegian Refugee Council recorded a total of 52 attacks on education in Colombia in the first half of 2025. This represents an average of one attack every three days and is an increase of more than 65 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. Five trade unionists – affiliated to the FECODE federation – have been murdered so far this year.
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.
This video from Justice for Colombia shows the transformative impact that the school bus has had on this remote region affected by historic conflict and state neglect.
