Home

Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform

Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform

  • Log in
Governance & legal system International instruments Laws & Policies Analysis Challenges

Colombia

Breadcrumb

  1. Countries
  2. Colombia
  3. Governance & legal system

Governance & legal system

International and regional organisations

Columbia is a member of : 

  • Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración (ALADI) 
  • Asociación de Estados del Caribe (AEC) 
  • Comisión Económica para América Latina (CEPAL) 
  • Comunidad Andina (CAN) 
  • Grupo de los 24 (G-24) 
  • CAF- Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina 
  • Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) 
  • Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) 
  • Sistema Económico Latinoamericano (SELA) 
  • Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) 
  • Organización del Tratado de Cooperación Amazónica (OTCA) 
  • Organización Latinoamericana de Energía (OLADE) 
  •  Organización del Tratado del Atlántico Norte (OTAN) 
  • Parlamento Andino 
  • Mercosur 

International law

According to the Colombian Constitution, in order to be valid, treaties must be approved by Congress, article 224 of the Colombian Constitution. The Constitution provides that Colombia has a dualist system for the application of international law.

 


 

 

 

Legal system

Colombia’s legal system follows the civil law tradition.  Colombian legal system has a legislative origin, grounded on the “written law” as opposed to the “common” law. 

Judicial system

The Administration of Justice is part of the public function performed by the State, entrusted by the Political Constitution and the law, to enforce the rights, obligations, guarantees and freedoms to achieve social coexistence. 

The Judiciary Power is made up of the bodies comprising the Justicia Ordinaria, Jurisdicción Contenciosa administrative, Jurisdicción Constitucional, Jueces de Paz, Jurisdicción Especial Indígena and Fiscalía General de la Nación. 

Exceptionally and in accordance with Article 116 of the Constitution and Article 13 of the Statutory Law of the Administration of Justice, other authorities exercise jurisdictional functions, such as the Colombian Congress , the administrative authorities, and some individuals in the exercise of the tasks assigned therein.

The ordinary judiciary structure is as follows:

  • Supreme Court of Justice: It is formed by 23 magistrates, elected by the same corporation for individual 8-year terms.
  • Superior Tribunals of Justice: created in each Judicial District by the Administrative Chamber of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, for the fulfillment of the functions determined by procedural law.

Lower courts: is responsible for enforcing the rights, obligations, guarantees and freedoms protected by the Constitution and the laws, in order to achieve and maintain social coexistence.

The special judiciary structure is as follows: 

  • Military tribunals: have jurisdiction over offenses committed by members of the police and the military on active service and in relation to their service, in accordance with the Military Penal Code.
  • National Electoral Council: special jurisdiction (to make a final decision) concerning matters related to electoral issues.
  • Special Jurisdiction for Peace: special tribunals created by an agreement between the national government and FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). This jurisdiction is responsible for administrating justice for crimes committed before December 1 of 2016, during the internal armed conflict.

The Judicial Chambers for Justice and Peace were created to try those paramilitaries and guerrilla members who may have been guilty of crimes, according to the terms of Statute 975 of 2005.

Indigenous and Afro-descendants: exercise their jurisdictional functions within their territory following their laws as long as they are not contrary to the Constitution and other existing laws.

Institutional framework

The two main entities responsible for implementing legislation related to refugees in Colombia are Cancillería (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Migración Colombia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Migration Colombia  are the authorities that perform out the immigration control and that formulate, guide, implement and evaluate foreign policies.  

Additionally, these entities act as judicial police to consult information on judicial files, selectively search in databases, record and carry out urgent actions in order to carry out their surveillance and migration control.

Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform
Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform

Upper Footer

  • RiMAP Platform
    • About
    • Partners
    • Refugee Treaty and Legislation Dashboard (RTLD)
    • National Asylum Procedures Dashboard
    • Statelessness Treaty, Law and Policy Dashboard
    • IDP Law and Policy Dashboard
  • Law and Policy Collections
    • Refworld

UNHCR 2026

Footer

  • Contact
  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms and conditions of use
  • Copyright