Occupational Therapy during the historical Peace Process period: challenges and possibilities to broaden our action areas

Abstract

This article presents a reflection from Occupational Therapy, in the setting of the historical inflection moment that Colombia is going through with the peace agreement between the National Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP). From the Final Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace document, the aim is to identify areas of impact and professional action that broaden our traditional roles, taking into account the context of new institutionality derived from the agreement. Six sub-points of the Agreement are identified and analyzed, in which the participation of occupational therapists is considered relevant. This analysis is articulated to the reflections of other colleagues about the professional participation in contexts of armed conflict and post-peace agreement, considering the current period as an opportunity to open up new areas of professional practice and to transfer the profession’s  experience and theoretical capital accumulated to the country’s needs, in benefit of the collective interest.