Human Rights Watch (HRW) said On Monday, the government said armed groups in Colombia had increased the recruitment of children, citing what it said was an ineffective government response to the growing problem.
In a report entitled ““I thought I would never see my mother again”: Recruitment and use of children by Colombian armed groups,” HRW examined the factors that put children at risk of recruitment and the methods armed groups use to recruit them. The report also examined the use of Social media platformsincluding Facebook and TikTok to promote membership in armed groups and encourage children to join.
HRW highlighted that 1,500 children have been recruited into armed groups in Colombia since 2021, with official figures showing a sharp increase since 2023. The human rights group noted that armed dissident groups were responsible for most reported cases and that more than half of the cases occurred in Cauca state.
The report also stated that indigenous communities are disproportionately affected, accounting for almost half of reported recruitment cases despite making up about four percent of Colombia’s population. More than 30 percent of reported cases affected children between the ages of 10 and 14. According to international lawThe recruitment of children under the age of 15 by armed groups may constitute a war crime.
Researchers also reviewed more than 70 accounts and 40 social media posts glorified membership in an armed group and encouraged users to join in.
Human rights organizations have asked the administration President Abelardo de la Espriella implement a comprehensive security and justice policy to combat child recruitment. HRW also called on the government to provide adequate resources and personnel to authorities responsible for combating recruitment, particularly at the local level.
Tanya Chapuisat, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Colombia, has also called for an increase Protection for children from recruitment and use by armed groups, sexual violence and other serious violations. Chapuisat also stressed the need to protect children from the effects of traumatic events, which can have lifelong consequences, and called for greater coordination between government agencies.
“Stopping child recruitment requires much more than just soldiers on the ground,” said the HRW Americas director Juanita Goebertus. “Children at risk of recruitment desperately need opportunities to learn and make a living.”
