Colombia enacted a new law in August 2021 to better protect women from intimate partner violence. Major portions of the new law can be directly traced to the research and advocacy campaign of Humphrey School Associate Professor Greta Friedemann-Sánchez and alumna Margaret Grieve (MPA '16), which they launched in 2015.

Their work has been recognized with an Honorable Mention by the University of Minnesota's Innovation Impact Case Award, which honors University research that has led to significant impact outside of academia and has made a meaningful difference in our communities.

 Friedemann-Sánchez and Grieve found that the implementation and enforcement of Colombia's laws addressing domestic violence are irregular throughout the country. Those conclusions led them to campaign for changes to the system—through international pressure and advocacy within Colombia. After six years, their efforts were successful; the new law incorporates many of the changes they recommended.