Julio César Gómez Jiménez
Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia

Abstract:

This article reviews the changes of the notion of family since the Colombian Constitution of 1991 is in force, in order to establish whether the protection of this institution aligns with contemporary phenomena in Colombian society, in the light of the current legislation and international human rights law. Through an inquiry in scholarly literature and rulings issued by Colombian high courts, we intended to establish the current notion of family in the light of its protection. Findings suggest that the sociological notion of family is dynamic but its guarantees are lagging, with case law being the means to acknowledging legal situations occurring in families’ everyday coexistence.

Palabras clave: family evolution, progressiveness, human rights, family.