Monica Roa - Colombian Human Rights Lawyer | Photo: Lucas Anderson

Colombia: Women's Rights organisation attacked

Source: Amnesty International

On 7 May, shots were fired into the office of a women’s rights organization in Bogota, Colombia.

This follows a series of attacks and intimidation against human rights defender Mónica Roa and her colleagues. It is believed these attacks are in retaliation for their work in favour of women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Colombia. Their lives could be in danger.

On the evening of 7 May, the power supply to the Women’s Link Worldwide (WLW) was cut, and minutes later an unidentified person fired a shot into the office. Monica Roa, a human rights defender and Program Director of WLW, and two other colleagues were working in the office at the time. The bullet broke the security glass above Monica Roa’s head. Although no one was hurt in the attack, the incident could have resulted in serious injury or death for Monica Roa and her colleagues.

Six years ago Monica Roa’s leadership and the work of WLW for the respect and protection of women’s human rights, in collaboration with other women’s rights organizations, led to the decriminalization of abortion in exceptional circumstances in Colombia. This recent attack occurred on the eve of the sixth anniversary of this historic decision and Monica Roa and her colleagues were working on the preparation of campaigning actions on the failure to properly implement the Constitutional Court ruling.

This attack is the latest of a series of acts of intimidation against Monica Roa and WLW. Their office in Bogota has been broken into and computers stolen on three different occasions, the latest being on 23 April this year. They have also suffered several death threats and acts of harassment from 2005 onwards. For example, on several occasions human excrement has been left in front of the main door of their offices. After the first acts of intimidation against Monica Roa in 2005, the government granted her protection measures.

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IN THE NEWS

El Espectador • Colombia, May 08 de 2012

Attack against leader Mónica Roa

During a meeting in her office, Monica Roa heard a noise and then suddenly felt glass falling on her head. Then the lights went out. Roa, director of Women´s Link Worldwide in Latin America, went outside and realized that her office was the only building without power throughout the neighborhood. Her security guards called the local police and after reviewing the scene they confirmed that the building had been shot at with a pellet gun powered by gas powerful enough to breach the shielding of Roa´s office, thankfully no major damage was caused.

Roa assured to El Espectador that she does not know the reasons for the attack. But recalls that as of six years ago she takes a variety of security measures due to the threats she and her office have been subjected to. In fact, just a day after she moved into her office a burglar entered and stole a computer.

Roa´s position comes with much criticism from some of the more conservative parts of society, and in early March she was sued by the Attorney for the Rights of Children, youth and family Ilva Myriam Hoyos, for her statements in favor of abortion.

On the issue in which she has become the protagonist, Roa recalls that the day after tomorrow is the 6th anniversary of the Case C-355/06 which decriminalized abortion in three cases: that the pregnancy is a result of rape, that the pregnancy presents risks for the health of the woman and that the fetus suffers from illnesses and if it was born it would not have a descent life. To commemorate the day, women across the country will meet to assess the obstacles and achievements during the six years of implementation of the judgment.

“We want to hear different views, we will listen more than we speak” commented Monica Roa, who stated that what worries her most is that public entities are not giving enough information about abortion, its benefits and complications.

About Mónica Roa

 “Women’s Link has afforded me the privilege of constructing new paradigms in my work, of understanding our role as the new generation of feminists who use the law as an agent of social change to make gender justice a reality.  The challenge of constructing an organization with its own principles is a constant reminder that change begins at home and that the best reward is to see young men and women finding the inspiration to follow a professional path dedicated to equality and justice, whether at Women’s Link or wherever it is that they may find it.”

Mónica Roa has a degree in law from the University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) as a Global Public Service Law Scholar from New York University. Since 2004, she has been the Director of Programs at Women’s Link Worldwide, where she has developed her ideas regarding the judiciary as a pivotal branch in democratic society and has worked to foster greater dialogue between civil society and the courts on how to interpret rights from a gender perspective.

Her work led her to file a petition before the Constitutional Court of Colombia, which led to the liberalization of the country´s abortion law. Her contribution to human rights and women’s rights has been recognized by the most important media outlets in the country, which have awarded her accolades including ‘person of the year’ in 2005 and 2006. In 2011 she was awarded as one of the ten best leaders of Colombia.

Monica teaches at the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at the American University, Washington, D.C. College of Law. She has participated in academic, political and legal conferences in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the United States.

Her publications include: "Bodies on Trial: Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Latin American Courts" (2002), "Litigating Reproductive Rights at the Inter-American System for Human Rights" (Harvard, 2003), "Litigio de alto impacto en Colombia, la inconstitucionalidad del aborto" (Paidós, 2006), "El derecho a decidir, avances, obstáculos y amenazas" (Razón Pública, 2009), "La objeción de conciencia en el aborto: escudo, no espada" (Razón Pública, 2010), "Great Eggspectations: La tecnología reproductiva y los nuevos retos para la autonomía de las mujeres" (U. Nacional de Colombia, 2010). She currenlty resides in Bogota.