While the FARC-EP did not recruit any new child soldiers in 2017 and many child soldiers have been released into government care, much progress remains to ensure a safe environment for Colombian children. They are abducted or even killed, and there have been too many cases of rape and other sexual violence. They are injured by shooting, crossfire or explosive devices. In 2017, children were still being recruited by the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) and various illegal armed groups. That’s why the Embassy of Canada to Colombia is taking action.Ĭolombia’s 50-year internal conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia’s People’s Army (FARC-EP) officially ended in 2016 when they signed a peace agreement with the Colombian government.īut a 2018 United Nations Report of the Secretary-General indicates that children are still at risk. Police forces and community watch groups that would have offered protection tend to fall apart during conflict, making boys and girls even more vulnerable.Īll of this in addition to the psychological trauma that comes with living in a conflict zone, interruptions to their education and loss of family members and friends. Some armed groups even force kids to be child soldiers. Children routinely get caught in the crossfire of armed violence, become disabled as a result of explosive devices and are targets of rape and sexual violence. Instead, they live with the threat of being forced from their homes, separated from their family or abducted. These are the activities that occupy most children’s time.īut for children in conflict zones, carefree days of neighbourhood games are just a dream. The Embassy of Canada to Colombia is working to make that a reality. Children deserve a life free of violence.
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