Colombia Launches Platform Making Women's Rights Accessible

Colombian women can now access their legal rights with just a few taps on their phones, thanks to a groundbreaking digital platform launched this year. DIME Mujer translates complex legislation into clear, practical information that helps women understand what protections they have under the law.

The platform emerged from an eye-opening study that reviewed 117 Colombian laws protecting women's rights. UN Women, working with Sweden's development agency and Colombian institutions, found something encouraging: the country has built a strong legal framework around equality, political participation, and freedom from violence.

But the research also revealed a problem. Having laws on the books doesn't automatically change daily life for women who don't know those protections exist.

That's where DIME Mujer comes in. The platform covers six key areas: workers' rights, economic independence, land ownership, family matters, political participation, and reproductive health. Instead of dense legal text, women find videos, audio materials, and real-life examples narrated by diverse Colombian voices.

The site works on any device and includes a directory of organizations that can help women defend their rights or file complaints. Since 2024, it's been promoted across Colombian regions including Chocó, Cauca, Nariño, Villavicencio, and Bogotá.

The Ripple Effect

When women know their rights, they can claim them. That simple principle could transform how millions of Colombian women navigate workplace issues, property ownership, and safety concerns. The platform doesn't just inform individual women. It creates a foundation for broader change by helping communities recognize when laws aren't being enforced properly.

The study also identified 12 laws that still need updating to meet international standards. Recommendations include raising the age of sexual consent to 16, expanding paternity leave, removing barriers to women owning land independently, and recognizing newer forms of violence like digital and institutional abuse.

Legislative progress takes decades of advocacy, but Colombia's framework shows what's possible. The gap between written law and lived reality remains, yet tools like DIME Mujer are closing that distance one informed woman at a time.

Knowledge has always been power, and now it fits in your pocket.