Lina Marina Betancur

Colombian human rights lawyer who spearheaded landmark anti-violence legislation

Lina Marina Betancur (b. 1982) is a trailblazing Colombian lawyer whose advocacy led to the Ley de Paz para las Mujeres (Peace Law for Women) enacted in 2017. This groundbreaking legislation mandates state protection for women victims of gender-based violence, requiring police academies to include gender sensitivity training in curricula. Betancur's work with Red Latinoamericana de Mujeres has documented over 15,000 cases of violence against women since 2010, providing critical evidence for policy changes.

A Harvard Human Rights Fellow (2015-16), Betancur pioneered the use of blockchain technology for anonymous reporting systems in high-risk areas. Her HRW report on femicide in Andean regions influenced similar laws in Peru and Ecuador. The Wall Street Journal profiled her in 2020 as one of '50 Global Changemakers Under 50.'

Betancur's legal victories include securing $2.3 million in reparations for victims of Bogotá's 2018 transit strikes, establishing precedents for corporate liability in public infrastructure projects. Her TEDx talk 'Justice Without Borders' has over 2 million views. The documentary Voz de Resistencia (2022) chronicles her decade-long legal battles against impunity.