September 2008 - October 2009

Within the framework of the Observatory, the follow-up and analysis of the victims’ situation in the Justice and Peace process has a two folded nature: on the one hand, it is a cross cutting issue; on the other hand, it is an independent branch, designing complementary working tools to monitor the situation of victims and provide a platform to consider proposals submitted by victims’ organisations, seeking to strengthen the collaboration between the Observatory and victims’ organisations, as a key element for the progress and implementation of the Observatory, and a primary source of information.

The Justice branch analyses how victims’ rights are guaranteed and respected, examining options to facilitate the process advance (selection and precedence of crimes). The Public Policies branch monitors the mechanisms regarding integral reparation implemented in the framework of the Justice and Peace Law, aiming at assessing the victims’ process of recovery and reconstruction of their condition as citizens. The DDR branch focuses in first term on community reintegration, with reconciliation as the final stage, and in particular on the reconstruction of trust among citizens, and the adoption of public policies to build a sense of community and citizenship.

The Victims’ branch also fosters the creation of a network with victims’ organisations and other related NGOs that contribute to the Observatory’s activities, participating in the design of the working tools for the follow up of the process. Therefore, organisations contribute as sources of information, and, at the same time, the Observatory promotes collaboration with institutions dealing with victims issues, in particular the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation.