The request was made during the delivery of the report to the JEP on violations suffered by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the midst of the armed conflict. The event, supported and sponsored by FOKUS and which took place in Chaparral (Tolima), was attended by 7 victims and relatives of people who were violated by different armed actors in the conflict. The JEP committed to do everything possible to prioritise their cases.

In September, the report of victims of the armed conflict lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from the south of Tolima was delivered to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace - JEP (Jurisdicción Especial para La Paz). The event, which was attended by the magistrate of the Gender Commission of the SJP, Alexandra Sandoval, nine testimonies of victims and relatives of LGBT people who suffered serious violations of their human rights during the armed conflict, by the extinct FARC-EP and the security forces, were delivered.

The event was full of emotion and served as an opportunity for people who suffered atrocities in the midst of the war and their families to speak face to face with the JEP and show it the realities that are hidden behind the figures and news headlines. One by one, each victim and family member gave their story in a circle of trust, represented by a mandala, in which, symbolically, all their hopes for justice were placed.

"We ask the JEP not to forget us. In Tolima, exactly in Marquetalia, was where the armed conflict that lasted more than 50 years began (...) We know that there are other prioritised areas,

but it seems that sometimes they seem to forget that Tolima is also in Colombia", said Cristina*, a trans woman victim of the armed conflict.

Judge Sandoval, for her part, responded that the SJP was firmly committed to listening to all victims in the country, and also assured that, despite the high number of cases that have to be reviewed by the transitional justice mechanism, it is faithfully committed to analysing situations of violation of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that occurred in Tolima.

"Many people thank us because we are here, but the truth is that this is the work of the SJP. It is our task to go to the region, listen to the victims and let them know that the SJP is there to support them," she added.

These words of hope served as an encouragement to the people attending the event, among whom were representatives of the United Nations - UN, JEP liaisons in Tolima, researchers from the Colombia Diversa team who supported the preparation of the reports submitted, and the director of FOKUS, the Norwegian cooperation fund that was instrumental in the implementation of this project.

At the end of the meeting, the victims and their families reiterated their gratitude to the SJP for being on their territory, for listening to their voices and for giving them hope that one day they will finally be able to have justice on behalf of those who are no longer with them.

Despite various advances and the commitment of some state institutions, there are still obstacles to guaranteeing rights and access to justice for LGBT victims of the armed conflict. One of these barriers is generated by institutions, authorities, neighbours and family, who do not take into account the negative impact of discrimination, which facilitates the perpetuation of armed violence against this population.

It is for this reason that the work carried out by Colombia Diversa's peace area seeks not only to legally represent the victims, but also to have an impact on peace institutions to demonstrate the seriousness of the act of discrimination, which can become a serious international crime.