Riohacha,
Colombia

Bicycles as a Lifeline of Hope and Survival

In La Guajira, a group of women uses bicycles to reach communities, deliver vital information on sexual and reproductive health, and respond to cases of gender-based violence. This is the Biciempoderadas program.

“In the beginning, we had basic cycling classes, and this was a very meaningful experience for us, since some of us had never had the opportunity to ride a bicycle in our lives,” one Biciempoderadas member explained.

“[This] allowed us to break down the barriers that women have faced for years and also to reach out to communities and create cycles together. This empowers us and allows us to bring life-saving information, gender-based survival, and sexual and reproductive rights to every corner of the district.”

One woman shared that when she was experiencing domestic violence, Biciempoderadas inspired her to seek financial independence so she could leave that situation. She went on to launch a small business making pesanía (handcrafted items) through which she supports her children. Now, she is a trained leader of Biciempoderadas.

“Today, I can say that many routes have been activated, lives have been saved, because we have been able to remove so many taboos and show that there are many women who can follow.”

Bridging Ancestral Midwifery and Institutional Support

A midwife in the Wayuu Indigenous community shared her decades-long experience caring for mothers and newborns, blending ancestral knowledge with modern training.

She learned midwifery from her grandmother at a young age, using local tools and techniques long before formal training was available. She said, “…because back then we set it up with whatever we could find at the ranch.”

Today, she applies those skills alongside clean delivery kits and first-aid knowledge provided through partnerships with institutions like UNFPA. She carefully guides mothers through childbirth, uses warm water and ancestral remedies to ease pain, and ensures babies are safely delivered even under difficult conditions.

“When it rains a lot, that’s when I attend to births…since there’s no ambulance or access to the hospital, I take care of it myself,” she said. 

A representative from I.P.S.I. Outtajiapulee, an Indigenous primary health institution in La Guajira, works closely with this midwife—and other midwives in the community—providing culturally respectful healthcare services and supporting local health and wellness initiatives.

Safe Spaces, Strong Voices

Our time in Riohacha brought us face-to-face with youth and community members leading peer-to-peer SRHR initiatives, showing how knowledge and inspiration move across generations and institutions. Many of these young people are engaged in UNFPA-supported programs, including the newly inaugurated Safe Space at Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Remedios E.S.E., where they contribute as advocates and “waves of change” in their communities.

Opened in 2024, the Safe Space offers survivors and women at risk of gender-based violence comprehensive services in one location—medical and mental health care, specialized counseling, and connections to justice and protection systems. Footstep markers on the floor guide visitors to the space, where a sign on the door reads, “you have the right to a life free from gender-based violence,”  in both Spanish and Wayuunaiki, the language of the Wayuu people.

La Guajira continues to face high rates of gender-based violence, particularly among migrant and Indigenous women and adolescent girls. In response, hospital staff and local partners, alongside youth leaders, are working to ensure services are timely, reliable, and culturally responsive.