Yirley Judith Velasco Garrido

Yirley Judith Velasco Garrido is a women’s human rights defender from El Salado, Colombia. Garrido has dedicated her life to advocating for victims of sexual violence caught in the middle of the country’s decades-long asymmetric war between the government of Colombia, far-right paramilitary groups, crime syndicates, and far-left guerrilla groups.

As a survivor herself, Garrido works as the legal representative of the Women Sowing Life Association to seek justice and reparations for those affected. Yirley has faced near-constant death threats and stigmatization prompting the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to grant precautionary measures for her safety and that of her family. Despite the significant challenges facing Colombian human rights defenders, Yirley asserts, “We women can start building peace from our hearts.”