Harvey Danilo Suárez elected as new executive secretary of the JEP

The Plenary Chamber of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) appointed as its new executive secretary Harvey Danilo Suárez, so decided after hearing the proposals for an action plan submitted by the 10 candidates shortlisted for office.

This position has been held by María del Pilar Bahamón Falla, who began her term in August 2018. This is the body that manages, manages and executes the resources of the JEP. It also provides its services to appearants and victims. Similarly, it has an attached unit that is responsible for ensuring the participation of victims, their special representation before various instances of the JEP and their psychosocial and legal support during the judicial process where appropriate.

Bahamón Falla's replacement came after a public call process in which 40 people participated and was led by a pre-selection committee. On the basis of a first analysis, 20 people went to interview with the committee.

What is your resource execution experience? Have they had open criminal, disciplinary or tax proceedings? Why do you think you are the right person to hold office? , were some of the questions asked that led to the election of the 10 finalists.

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The new executive secretary of the peace court is a lawyer at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and for the past four years he worked as executive assistant secretary of the JEP. He is also a specialist in Human Rights and a candidate for a master's degree in social anthropology from the same university.

In his professional career, Suárez has published several legal publications such as: Legitimacy through Juridicity: Contested Narratives on the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as a Restorative Justice Mechanism in Environments of Impunity and Polarization, as well as Atlas of the Population and Territorial Impact of armed conflict and other forms of violence, are the most recent books in which he has participated.

Much of her working life is concentrated in social organizations, human rights NGOs, victims', ethnic and women's organizations, as well as international human rights bodies and cooperation agencies. In addition, many of its functions have been associated with the management and execution of resources, within the peace court.

It will be four years in which he will serve in his new role. During his career, Suárez has been coordinator of the observatory of the Presidential Counsellor for Human Rights and IHL, coordinator of the program to strengthen justice of the Transitional Justice Fund of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), consultant to ILO, UNICEF, UN Human Rights, UNHCR and the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation, among other positions.

Suárez, as executive assistant secretary of the JEP, has been the official responsible for the accountability of the Jurisdiction to the supervisory bodies such as the Office of the Attorney General and the Comptroller's Office. “Through permanent reports and audits, since 2018 it has been ensuring the efficient development of the entity,” JEP said in the official statement of its appointment.

Prior to this assumption of office, the official had the responsibility of supervising the execution of international resources that supported the institutions responsible for implementing the Justice and Peace Law. “It has been 15 years working towards a model of justice that guarantees the rights of victims of the armed conflict in Colombia, with a restorative approach, and an alternative to building peace,” explained Harvey Danilo Suárez.

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