Focused on analyzing the relationship between demographic dynamics and economic, social, political, and cultural processes; as well as generating knowledge for the formulation of public policies, improvement, and monitoring of social inclusion programs aimed at overcoming the structural barriers of the country’s regions.
The thematic axes of this research line include sociodemographic dynamics in:
Entre Saberes: Identification of the Needs and Experiences in Sexual and Reproductive Health of Black, Afro-Colombian, and Indigenous People in Buenaventura and Popayán Summary
Summary
Incorporating an ethnic differential approach in health care involves the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of measures aimed at recognizing ethnic and cultural differences, transforming inequities, and promoting collective construction.
The Entre Saberes project, developed by the Profamilia Association, the Association of Peasant, Black, and Indigenous Women of Buenaventura (AMUCIB), and the Women’s Program of the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (CRIC), sought to strengthen access to sexual and reproductive health services for Black, Afro-Colombian, and Indigenous populations in Buenaventura and Popayán.
This was achieved through the development of a participatory research methodology incorporating gender, ethnic-differential, and intersectional approaches, grounded in the protection of ancestral wisdom and practices. The project was oriented toward identifying barriers in the exercise of Sexual and Reproductive Rights, as well as promoting joint social and political advocacy to reduce those barriers.
Funder: Open Society Foundations
Partners: AMUCIB and Women’s Program – CRIC
Resources:
Book: Determinants of Unsafe Abortion and Barriers to Access to Care for Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy in Colombian Women (Errata Notice)
In the book — “Determinantes del aborto inseguro y barreras de acceso para la atención de la interrupción voluntaria del embarazo en mujeres colombianas”, published in 2014 by Profamilia in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, two citation errors were identified in the bibliography.
In the first case, there was an inaccuracy in the publication date of the cited document, and during the layout process, the line spacing separating it from the next reference was accidentally removed.
In the second case, one reference was deleted.
Profamilia apologizes for any inconvenience this unintentional error may have caused and appreciates your understanding. Below is the corrected version:
| Incorrect citation | Corrected citation |
| (Page 239, Bibliography):
Allan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). (2010). Embarazo no deseado y aborto inducido en Colombia. Causas y consecuencias. Nueva York: Asociación Probienestar de la Familia Colombina (Profamilia) y Ministerio de Protección Social. (2010). |
(Page 239, Bibliography):
Allan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). (2011). Embarazo no deseado y aborto inducido en Colombia. Causas y consecuencias. Nueva York, 2011 |
Haz clic aquí para consultar el libro.
Identification and Analysis of Unmet Needs in Sexual and Reproductive Health among the Yukpa Population in Cúcuta and Bosconia
Summary
This research aimed to identify and analyze the unmet needs in sexual and reproductive health among the Yukpa communities settled in Cúcuta and Bosconia. By examining access to and provision of sexual and reproductive health services, gender-based violence, and intersectionality, the project sought to generate evidence to better understand the perceptions and needs of this Indigenous group regarding sexuality and reproduction.
Funder: Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM)
Partners: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA – Colombia)
Resources:
Comparative Study of Survivors of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict and War: New Guidelines for Transitional Justice (CSRS)
Summary
Transitional justice is a process that addresses human rights violations experienced throughout people’s lives. When discussing sexual violence related to armed conflict, the resilience of survivors is rarely considered. This study, conducted by the University of Birmingham’s School of Law in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Uganda, and Colombia, aimed to understand the various ways survivors demonstrate resilience in their daily lives and how broader social ecologies either facilitate or hinder that resilience. It also sought to develop a new transitional justice model that gives greater attention to survivors’ social environments. In Colombia, the research was conducted with the support of Profamilia and the Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres.
Funder: University of Birmingham
Resources:
Changes in Gender Norms in Contexts of Displacement: Venezuelans in Bogotá, Cúcuta, and Pasto, Colombia
Summary
This research explores how gender norms, roles, and relationships have evolved during and after migration from Venezuela to Colombia. It also examines other gender-related impacts of migration, particularly regarding gender-based violence, health, and Sexual and Reproductive Rights (SRHR), as well as what these changes mean for humanitarian efforts.
Funders: ODI
Partners: Inter-Agency Group on Mixed Migration Flows (GIFMM) and National Health Cluster
Life Experiences of People with Disabilities in Colombia
My Story, My Right: An Approach to Inclusive Research Methodology with People with Cognitive and Psychosocial Disabilities
Summary
This study represents one of many efforts to challenge the stereotypes that shape the lives and sexuality of people with disabilities. Through actions aimed at strengthening research skills and exploring life experiences, it presents seven life stories of young people and adults with disabilities from Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Bogotá, and Manizales. These stories describe how they experience their sexuality and rights, revealing the intersectional nature of the oppressions they face.
Funders: Open Society Foundations
Partners: Colombian Down Syndrome Association – Asdown Colombia, and Colombian Autism League – LICA
Ancestral Violentometer
Prototype Exercise for the Development of an Ancestral Violentometer in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca
Summary
As part of the project Buenaventura: Zero Violence, Sexuality is My Right, implemented with the support of Open Society (OSI) between 2018 and 2020, Profamilia — in partnership with the Association of Midwives of the Pacific (Asoparupa) and the Red Mariposas de Alas Nuevas — has developed training and dialogue spaces to raise awareness, prevent, and reduce gender-based violence in Buenaventura (Valle del Cauca). This has been achieved through artistic and traditional strategies grounded in ethnic and human rights approaches.
Asoparupa and Red Mariposas de Alas Nuevas bring extensive territorial experience implementing circles of the wordwith women, men, and diverse communities. These are autonomous and sacred spaces for information, education, reflection, and healing from obstetric and gender-based violence, as well as empowerment to denaturalize violent behaviors and promote public and legal denunciation. These practices formed part of the community efforts shared and implemented in the training spaces developed throughout this project.
Funding: Profamilia and Open Society Foundations
Resource:
International Sexual and Reproductive Health Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic (I-SHARE Colombia)
Summary
Sexual and reproductive health needs are constant, and the reallocation of health system priorities due to COVID-19 directly impacted their provision. The pandemic and the resulting social distancing measures may have deeply influenced sexual behavior, sexual health, reproductive health, and social life.
The I-SHARE survey is part of an international study led by Ghent University (Belgium) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom). It seeks to better understand how the national government’s COVID-19 prevention measures affected sexual and reproductive health in Colombia. A total of 32 countries participated.
The findings are expected to inform policy and research related to sexual and reproductive health during emergencies, enhancing preparedness for future epidemics and disasters. Cross-country analyses will provide preliminary data on how COVID-19 response measures are associated with key sexual and reproductive health outcomes, paving the way for further research.
Funding: Asociación Profamilia
Resource:
OFDA II – Evaluation of Satisfaction among Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee Populations Regarding Health Services Received
Summary
Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Colombia face numerous challenges and barriers in exercising their sexual and reproductive rights. During their migration, regularization, and even when holding a Special Stay Permit (PEP), discrimination and the bureaucratic complexities of the Colombian health system limit access to sexual and reproductive health services.
This research is part of the USAID–Profamilia project “Health and Guarantee of the Rights of the Migrant Population amid the Humanitarian Crisis”, implemented across 13 departments with high migration flow. The study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction of Venezuelan migrants and refugees regarding the sexual and reproductive health services they received in 2019 and 2020 in Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Riohacha, and Santa Marta.
Funding: United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA–USAID) and Asociación Profamilia.
OSI – Disability. Promoting the quality of life and the sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities in Colombia
Abstract
The sexuality of people with disabilities (PWD) has historically been censored and ignored, as has their recognition as holders of sexual and reproductive rights. Although there are numerous research developments on the sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities, many have maintained a separation between the researcher and the researched subject (within the traditional subject/object framework). Through a participatory research approach, this proposal, funded by the Open Society Foundations, aims to strengthen the research skills of people with disabilities and support the construction of their own narratives about life experiences, particularly those related to their exercise of sexual and reproductive rights and their sexuality.
Funding: Open Society Foundations (OSI)
Sexual and Reproductive Rights after the Signing of the Peace Agreements: A Territorial Approach
Abstract
During armed conflicts, people—especially women and girls—are exposed to various forms of violence that often result in the violation of their sexual and reproductive rights. These violations are evident in barriers to accessing contraceptive methods, increased unwanted pregnancies, higher rates of gender-based and sexual violence, and restrictions on making decisions about one’s own body, including when and how many children to have. This research aims to analyze these violations and their effects on the lives of women and men in municipalities most affected by the Colombian armed conflict.
Funding: Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO)
Health, Sexuality, and Aging in Colombia
Abstract
The sexual health of older adults has been a largely unexplored topic in Colombia and is virtually absent from discussions on aging and health. However, international evidence shows the diversity of expressions, experiences, and determinants of sexuality among older populations, which highlights the need for interventions and programs that address their specific information, education, and healthcare needs. This exploratory-descriptive mixed-method study seeks to understand the determinants, perceptions, experiences, meanings, and limitations of sexuality among people aged 60 and older in Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín. The findings will inform evidence-based strategies for developing Profamilia’s Sexual Health, Aging, and Old Age Program.
Funding: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MinCiencias) and Profamilia
Understanding the Experiences and Resilient Practices of Adolescent Girls and Young Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Colombia
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a health, humanitarian, and economic crisis with long-lasting impacts, particularly for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Women, adolescents, and children face specific needs that may have gone unmet during the pandemic, exacerbated by overlapping social inequalities. Profamilia and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) conducted this study to identify the needs, experiences, and resilient practices of adolescent girls and young women during the COVID-19 crisis in Colombia. The research findings highlight the importance of ensuring that all preparedness and response plans for COVID-19 consider both the direct and indirect effects on the health of women, adolescents, girls, and boys.
Funding: Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and Profamilia
Resource:
Mira más testimonios como el de María:
Audio recordings
Escucha más testimonios como el de Tatiana:
InDes – 2019
Abstract
In partnership with Así Vamos en Salud, a methodology was conceptualized, designed, implemented, and validated to measure health performance at the departmental level in Colombia. The project developed a methodological guide and a 2019 baseline to provide tools for analyzing resource management, policies, and actions by the various actors within Colombia’s health system. The methodological guide ensures replicability in future assessments, while the baseline measures the health performance of Colombia’s 32 departments for the year 2019.
Funding: Profamilia and Así Vamos en Salud
Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of the Trans Population
How can sexual and reproductive health services be adapted to the needs and circumstances of people with trans life experiences?
Abstract
Profamilia conducted a research study to generate relevant evidence that would allow the adaptation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service delivery to the needs, identities, and circumstances of people with trans life experiences. This research provided inputs for the development of guidelines to inform SRH care. The study was funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Colombia and the Asociación Profamilia, with the purpose of identifying barriers and needs faced by this population in accessing SRH services. The research was carried out in four Colombian cities: Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín.
Funders: Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Asociación Profamilia
Resource:
Sexual Violence Against People with Disabilities
Prevención y Abordaje de la Violencia Sexual en Personas con Discapacidad desde un Enfoque de Determinantes Sociales
Prevention and Response to Sexual Violence Against People with Disabilities from a Social Determinants Approach
Abstract
This research responds to concerns raised by various organizations committed to guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities, particularly their Sexual and Reproductive Rights. It analyzed the forms of sexual violence experienced by people with cognitive and psychosocial disabilities from their own perspectives, highlighting through their voices and those of their families the depth of the sexual violence they endure, as well as the complexity of its structural causes, meanings, and consequences. The study was conducted in five Colombian cities: Barranquilla, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali, and Manizales.
Funders: Profamilia and Open Society Foundations
Resource:
Inequalities in the Use of Health Services Among Migrant Populations and Host Communities
Health Inequalities Among Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee Populations in Colombia: How to Improve the Local Response Within the Humanitarian Emergency?
Abstract
Migration is a structural determinant of health and can have lifelong consequences. The way migrants use health services can reveal where barriers, needs, and unmet demand exist within the humanitarian response. The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA-USAID) and Asociación Profamilia conducted research to identify the needs, inequalities, and expectations related to access to health services among Venezuelan migrant and refugee populations, as well as Colombian host communities. The study focused on six cities prioritized for their high migratory flow: Bogotá, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Riohacha, and Santa Marta.
Funders: U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA-USAID) and Asociación Profamilia
Resource:
Unmet Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs Among Venezuelan Migrants
Assessment of Unmet Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Venezuelan Migrant Populations in Four Colombian-Venezuelan Border Cities
Abstract
Venezuelan migrants arrive in Colombia with multiple unmet needs, particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Profamilia and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) conducted a rapid assessment of unmet SRH needs—focusing especially on gender-based violence and HIV—among Venezuelan migrant populations along the Colombian-Venezuelan border. The purpose of the assessment was to examine the implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian crisis settings in Colombia. The evaluation was conducted in the municipalities of Arauca, Cúcuta, Riohacha, and Valledupar.
Funders: International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Profamilia
Resource:
