On Thursday 29th January, Justice for Colombia (JfC) organised a briefing for Oireachtas members to highlight findings from their recent high-level delegation of Irish and British trade unionists to Colombia in November 2025. 

Set up in 2002 by the Irish and British trade union movement, Justice for Colombia aims to support Colombian civil society in its struggle for human rights, labour rights, peace and social justice. 

The briefing was chaired by Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, while speakers at the event included leading human rights lawyer and former advisor on the Colombian peace agreement, Diego Martínez Castillo, who travelled to Dublin for the event, alongside JfC chair Mick Whelan (ASLEF) and JfC vice chair Mariela Kohon (TUC). 

The meeting provided an opportunity to brief TDs and Senators on recent developments in Colombia, the past and current work of JfC, as well as to highlight key findings from the delegation.

Diego Martínez Castillo is one of Colombia's foremost human rights lawyers and a principal architect of the 2016 peace agreement's transitional justice framework. He spoke about the challenges and risks facing implementation of the peace agreement, the political landscape ahead of upcoming elections, and the current human rights situation on the ground in Colombia. 

Particular concerns were raised around security risks faced by signatories of the 2016 peace agreement. The delegation viewed these risks as undermining “faith in the state’s capacity to fulfil any agreement, which undermines peace efforts more broadly.”  

JfC are calling on the Irish and British governments to advocate for improved security for signatories and to support the political, social and economic reforms needed to mitigate the root causes of conflict in Colombia. The urgency of supporting stability and peace in Colombia was emphasized within the context of the escalation of tension in the region.  

Commenting on the briefing Kevin said: “This was an important opportunity to share our findings from last November’s delegation. While implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia has encountered challenges, real progress has been made. Now, ahead of elections due this spring, the international community, and the Irish government, must continue to support the peace process, which remains fragile.” 

You can read the full report here. 

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