#22 - LGBTQ+ Vulnerabilities, Policies and Disaster Risk Management in Colombia (Mr. Jeisson Orlando Garcia Orjuela )

Background:

This podcast draws on insights from a recent IDRiM podcast interview with Jeisson Garcia of Colombia’s Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD), focused on the intersection of disaster risk management and the vulnerabilities of LGBTQ+ communities in Colombia.

LGBTQ+ individuals in Colombia face significant structural inequalities in healthcare, education, justice, and employment—challenges that become even more acute during disasters. Garcia highlighted the concept of double affectation: LGBTQ+ people are impacted both by the direct effects of disasters and by deep-seated discrimination. Colombia’s history of over 50 years of internal armed conflict further compounds these risks, particularly for transgender women, whose life expectancy in cities like Bogotá is only 25 years.

Violence against LGBTQ+ individuals is widespread. In 2023, there were 33 homicides of gay men and 26 of transgender individuals, alongside cases of police abuse, family rejection, and discrimination in schools and healthcare. Rigid gender norms and the strong influence of Catholicism contribute to exclusion and violence, particularly in rural and indigenous communities, where traditional practices sometimes sanction anti-LGBTQ+ actions.

Conversion therapy remains a serious issue. Despite being illegal under certain human rights provisions, it is still practiced, often by religious groups, through psychological abuse, non-consensual medical interventions, and forced institutionalisation. These practices significantly harm mental health and contribute to high rates of suicide: over 50% of LGBTQ+ Colombians report suicidal ideation, and 25% have attempted suicide.

Family rejection frequently leads to homelessness, with many LGBTQ+ individuals settling in informal, disaster prone areas. Garcia stressed the need for inclusive disaster management that addresses these layered vulnerabilities. Key priorities include public education, banning conversion therapy, promoting inclusive mental health support, and developing resilience-based policies that fully recognise and protect LGBTQ+ rights in disaster contexts.

Guest:

Mr. Jeisson Orlando Garcia Orjuela [Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres, Colombia]

Host:

Dr. Mark Ashley Parry (Northumbria University, United Kingdom)

Music:

"Sunset" by Kai Engel, available at ⁠Free Music Archive⁠, licensed under CC BY 4.0.