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Women and the Struggle for Their Rights

UNESCO - MOWLAC, 2024
Country: Colombia
Registration Year: 2024
Institution type: Archives
ID: 247/2024
Institution:
Website(s):
Document type: Books Drawings Manuscripts Music/Audios/Recordings Photographs/Images
Document theme: Human Rights Political History
Gender: Led to a radical change in history or society

Related Documents

MoWLAC Nomination form / Formato de nominación

The documentary collection titled “Women and the Struggle for Their Rights” chronicles women’s resistance in reclaiming their rights to political participation, abortion, sexual and reproductive rights, and economic, social, and cultural rights. It also emphasizes efforts to eliminate gender violence in Colombia and Latin America from 1944 to 2021.

This archive includes manuscripts, drawings, posters, brochures, postcards, interview recordings, photographs, multimedia files, and T-shirts documenting Marta Álvarez’s legal battle, where, for the first time in the Americas, the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights upheld the right of incarcerated lesbian women to intimate visits.

The collection also features materials donated by María Cristina Suaza, a key figure in the Colombian feminist movement, covering multiple editions of the Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Meeting from the 1980s and 1990s, as well as women’s protests across Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, and El Salvador.

Additionally, the collection includes documents from the National Network Woman and the Political Constitution, which contributed to the drafting of Colombia’s 1991 Constitution; the personal archive of Margarita Córdoba, founder of Antioquia’s first women’s professional association in 1956; and records of Helena Páez de Tavera’s involvement in various women’s organizations.

The future of Latin America must be grounded in a deep understanding of human rights and gender justice.

Risks encountered

Environmental issues

Identified risksLevel of risk
Moisture
Low
Temperature
Low
Light (visible light, ultraviolet radiation, etc.)
Low
Dust
Low
Pollution
Low
Pests (rodents, animals, insects, etc.)
Low
Microorganisms (bacteria, mould, etc.)
Low
The building of the Archivo General de la Nación was specifically designed to house and preserve Colombia´s documentary heritage. Its architectural and structural design includes a double-wall system that allows for air circulation around the document storage areas. The construction materials and naturalventilation systems, among others, help maintain stable environmental conditions within the storage areas, meeting the necessary parameters forpreserving documents across various formats and media. The Conservation and Restoration Group, as part of its functions and the implementation of the entity’s Integrated Conservation System, carries out preventive conservation programs. Specifically, the Environmental Monitoring and Control Program tracks variables such as relative humidity, temperature, lighting, dust load, atmospheric contaminants, and microbial load. Continuous measurement equipment (dataloggers) is used to monitor relative humidity and temperature, allowing for constant oversight and the implementation of control strategies as needed. Other variables, such as lighting, dust load, and contaminants, are monitored periodically. This work is coordinated with the Facilities Inspection and Maintenance and Environmental Sanitation Group.

Management or organizational issues

Identified risksLevel of risk
Lack of maintenance, including cleaning
Low
Inadequate building
None
Building with structural damage
Moderate
Lack of an adequate warehouse
None
Lack of boxes and/or archive materials
None
Lack of human resources
Low
Lack of security measures
None
Insufficient budget to operate
None
As previously mentioned, within the framework of the preventive conservation programs of the entity’s Integrated Conservation System, the various departments of the Archivo General de la Nación work in coordination to preserve the documentary heritage under their custody. As a result of continuous inspections of the facilities and storage systems in the document custody areas, the administrative services group is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure, including cleaning tasks in storage areas, technical processing areas, and document consultation spaces. These activities are conducted with the support and advice of the conservation team.However, due to the building´s architectural characteristics, there have been issues with water infiltration, which worsen during rainy seasons. This situation has necessitated the activation of contingency protocols to minimize risks to the documents until a definitive solution can be implemented. It is important to note that the building is declared a Cultural Heritage Asset under Resolution 1773 of 2007, which requires obtaining approval from the Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Knowledge for any appropriate intervention.

Natural disaster risks

Identified risksLevel of risk
Fires
Low
Rains
Moderate
Mudslides or landslides
Low
Floods
Moderate
Hurricanes, cyclones, storms
Low
Earthquakes
Moderate
Tsunamis
None
Volcanic eruptions
Low
Temperature increase
Low
Colombia is located in a region prone to frequent seismic activity, including earthquakes, which represents a constant threat to a large portion of the population. Bogotá has experienced severe earthquakes in the past, and it is likely that such events will occur again in the future. Although these eventscannot be predicted, it is essential to learn to live with the possibility of being affected by them. This threat is particularly concerning for cultural assets,including the documentary heritage held by the Archivo General de la Nación. To mitigate the risks associated with these events, the AGN has implementedstorage systems designed to accommodate the physical characteristics of the archives, along with the necessary anchoring systems to minimize the negativeeffects of earthquakes and other threats. These measures are part of a comprehensive strategy in line with the entity’s Emergency Plan, aimed atprotecting the documentary heritage under its custody.

Political and/or social risks

Identified risksLevel of risk
Armed conflicts
Moderate
Illegal trafficking of documents
Moderate
Thefts or robberies
Low
Vandalism
Low
Threatening socio-cultural environment
Moderate
Lack of support/public policies
None
The most significant risk currently facing the documentary heritage proposed for the Memory of the World for Latin America and the Caribbean (MoWLAC)program is the potential interference from future non-progressive governments. There is a danger that the information could be overlooked or dismissed bytraditional governments, thereby reducing its visibility and relevance both nationally and internationally. Additionally, the lack of support from thesegovernments could lead to inadequate preservation of the documents. Finally, another significant risk is the possible restriction on the dissemination of theinformation contained in the documentary heritage.

Environment (location) issues

Identified risksLevel of risk
Material/storage units
None
Furniture
None
Room or warehouse
None
Building
Low
Site or neighbourhood
Low
Area or region, beyond the neighbourhood
Low

Indicators

Identified risks
Management Plan
Yes

s. The AGN has implemented the Integrated Conservation System (SIC), which aims to establish activities that ensure the conservation and preservation of the information held at the Archivo General de la Nación Jorge Palacios Preciado, across its various formats. This system covers everything from the production of documents to their final disposition, ensuring aspects of integrity, authenticity, durability, and accessibility. In accordance with this, the AGN´s integrated conservation system includes the archives produced by the entity in the course of its functions, the documentary heritage it safeguards, materials received through secondary transfers, donations, or acquisitions, and any other documents entrusted to its custody. The document is publicly available for consultation at:https://www.archivogeneral.gov.co/sites/default/files/Estructura_Web/3-transp-act/7-datos-abiertos/sic-agn.pdf

Response Protocol
Partially

The Archivo General de la Nación, through the Conservation and Restoration Group, is currently developing the Disaster Prevention, Response, and Recovery Plan for documents. At present, a risk map is being developed, and an emergency document brigade is being established in coordination with the entity’s Emergency Plan and Brigade. The plan is expected to be completed by the first half of 2025. However, it is worth noting that preventive actions for all risks are part of the implementation of the Integrated Conservation System

Documentary heritage digitization
Yes, completely

The documentary heritage is fully described and digitized, which ensures the right to access public information, as guaranteed by the constitutional provisions outlined in Articles 20, 23, and 74 of the Political Constitution of Colombia.

Documentary heritage availability on the internet
No

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