The Political Constitution of Colombia, also known as the Constitution of Human Rights was redrafted in 1991 to include articles that protect the rights of women and support gender equality. Notably, Article 43 states, “Women and men have equal rights and opportunities, and women cannot be subjected to any type of discrimination.” Colombia continues to draft important legislation further advancing the rights of women. In 2000, a quota law was passed making it mandatory for women to make up no less than 30 percent of candidates on all electoral lists. In the 2018 election, women won half of Colombia’s cabinet minister seats, including the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs and vice president, Marta Lucía Ramírez. The following year, Claudia López was elected mayor of Bogotá, becoming the first woman and the first openly gay mayor of the capital city. Despite these great advancements, gender-based violence is still a major issue facing women and girls in Colombia. Fortunately, activist groups and civil society organizations like Liga International de Mujeres por la Paz y Libertad, the Colombian branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom are defending women’s constitutional rights.
Another article in the 1991 Political Constitution states that all women have equal access to sport in Colombia, a right that female athletes have fully embraced. Of the country’s 34 Olympic medals, women have won half, including the first gold medal. Soccer is the most popular sport in Colombia with the national team finishing fourth in the Copa America Femenina in 2019 and currently sitting 26th in the FIFA World ranking. In 2017, the country became just the second South American nation to launch a professional women’s league; however over the past two years, threats of closure, pay inequities, and discrimination have plagued the sport. Members of the Colombian women’s national team and the country’s vice president are demanding action from the Federation of Colombian Futbol to avoid erasing a decade of progress.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Colombia:
Adriana Correa Velásquez
How does Colombia compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
19%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
58%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
No
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1810
Colombia declared independence from Spain on July 20th, and following a period of uprisings, the Republic of Colombia was created in 1821.
1954
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1964
The Colombian Conflict, a war between the government of Colombia and paramilitary groups, began on May 27th.
1968
Five swimming and diving athletes became the first women to represent Colombia in the Olympics.
1976
Three table tennis and athletics athletes became the first women to represent Colombia in the Paralympics.
1982
Colombia ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1992
Ximena Rostrepo (bronze – athletics) became the first woman from Colombia to win an Olympic medal.
2007
Colombia ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2016
Martha Liliana Hernandez (bronze-athletics), the women’s 4x100m relay team (bronze), and Maritza Arango Buitrago (bronze- athletics) became the first women from Colombia to win Paralympic medals.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
0
-
5
-
7
-
9
-
12
-
64
-
128
-
23
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
-
0
-
3
-
3
-
2
-
3
-
20
-
20
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1968
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
2012
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
Ximena Restrepo: 1992, Athletics (Bronze)
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
1976
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
As of 2020, women's participation was still less than men's.
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Martha Liliana Hernandez: 2016, Athletics (Bronze) Maritza Arango Buitrago: 2016, Athletics (Bronze) Women's 4x100m Relay Team: 2016, Athletics (Bronze)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1998
Pay Gap Comparison
Paid Less than the Men's Team as of 2022
Gender Initiatives
Colombia’s Liga Femenina BetPlay Dimayor has 13 different clubs in the league in 2021. 93% of first team players in the league receive a monthly salary and 99% of first team players have a written contract.
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
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FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1950
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
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LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
Colombia National Olympic Committee
Colombia Softball Federation
Colombia Coldeportes
