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This article is about the armed conflict in Colombia and the situation for people with disabilities. Decades of internal conflict have created a complex situation which both gives rise to disability but also fails to take account of the many urgent needs of people with disabilities. Despite the ratification by Colombia of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, persons with disabilities are still not accorded a voice in the peace agreements. Although there is little known about the extent of disability in Colombia, it is important to understand the history of the Colombian armed conflict to see how it impacts on disability issues. We conclude by highlighting the legal instruments in Colombia which provide opportunities now to redress some of those wrongs.

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Existe una especial conexión entre discapacidad y conflicto armado. Las situaciones graves de violencia no solo generan nuevas discapacidades, sino que agravan las existentes. Teniendo en cuenta que la discapacidad es una cuestión de derechos humanos, así como el alto número de víctimas del conflicto que tienen algún tipo de discapacidad, hubiese sido deseable que el Acuerdo Final de Paz con las FARC-EP en Colombia incluyese un enfoque específico sobre discapacidad. Su ausencia puede contribuir a perpetuar su situación de exclusión. En el proceso de negociación con el ELN, se abre una posibilidad para subsanar esta omisión.

This article follows on from our previous one about the armed conflict in Colombia and its relationship with disability. We seek here to explore the ways in which people with disabilities are starting to be involved in the peace process with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -People's Army (FARC-EP), and the avenues there are for representative organizations of disabled people to have a louder voice in Colombia. Currently, while legal and human rights approaches are important, people with disabilities in Colombia do not generally have the resources to fight for their own rights. However, there could be opportunities in the negotiations currently with the National Liberation Army (ELN) to include a specific focus on the rights of people with disabilities.