Summary: Promises of peace followed 50 years of armed conflict in Colombia. However whispers of rearmament scuttle through the streets. Not only is the reality of conflict faced in Colombia, but also the existence of massive social injustices. Within Latin America, second only to Haiti, Colombians face the most significant inequalities. Discussion of pension reforms at Congress sparked mass protests in November 2018. Called by unions and student groups, large numbers of youth took to the streets. The FARCs removal from the conflict created space for the youth to reflect on social inequities and come forward, together, for this cause. But how have the youth of Colombia been affected by the peace agreement and have their needs been met? Juan Manuel Martinez, Founder and Partner of Umain, a consultancy group for transitional justice, joined the podcast to shed some light on these events. Juan tells us how the youth in rural areas were most significantly impacted by the events in Colombia. But hope and positive action prevails! Juan praises the overwhelming support of the youth and how this pushed the peace agreement across the line. With youth raising issues surrounding their rights, what is the Colombia's response? To find out, tune in here! Music credit: 'Coffee Shopping' by Bruno Freitas, licensed under hooksounds.com.
