Archivo Virtual de los Derechos Humanos y Memoria Histórica Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica

History and Founding

The Virtual Archive of Human Rights and Historical Memory (Archivo Virtual de los Derechos Humanos y Memoria Histórica) is a digital platform maintained by the Dirección de Archivo de los Derechos Humanos of Colombia's Centro Nacional de Memoria Histórica (CNMH — National Center for Historical Memory). The archive was launched publicly in April 2013 at the Bogotá International Book Fair, developed with support from USAID and the International Organization for Migration (IOM/OIM). It was created to fulfill the state's duty of memory, guaranteeing the rights of victims of Colombia's internal armed conflict to truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition.

Collections and Holdings

The archive aggregates documentary material from multiple sources: national governmental bodies, local organizations and communities, and natural and legal persons whose materials document serious violations of human rights and infractions of international humanitarian law in the context of the Colombian armed conflict. Collections are organized following international archival standards (ISAD-G), structured by fonds, sections, subseries, and documentary units. As of 2025, the archive encompasses 148 fonds with coverage dates ranging from 1946 to 2024, totaling 573,399 records. The archive also incorporates digitized newspaper collections such as the Semanario Voz (the Colombian Communist Party weekly), which was used by Colombia's Truth Commission.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The archive preserves materials from social organizations, communities, families, and individuals that document the Colombian armed conflict and human rights violations. Journalism-related materials include newspapers and periodicals that documented the conflict, such as the digitized Semanario Voz, whose more than 94,000 pages were scanned and made accessible through the platform. The collections include photographs, testimonials, and media materials documenting resistance movements and the lived experience of conflict.

Access and Usage

The archive is accessible online and applies high-standard technologies for secure storage and retrieval of information without altering original documents. Some materials are restricted to protect the personal information of victims, particularly those involving sensitive data such as cases of sexual violence. Access to restricted materials requires the consent of the data subjects. The platform supports searches by victims, researchers, and the general public within the framework of rights to truth and memory.