The forced recruitment of children by illegal armed groups in Colombia has quadrupled over the last five years, UNICEF said Thursday, citing a surge in regional violence and a systemic lack of opportunities within vulnerable communities.
“Children are not merely caught in the crossfire; they are being systematically recruited and exploited by armed groups,” said Tanya Chapuisat, the UNICEF Representative in Colombia. She emphasized that the consequences for these youth and their families are devastating, calling for “urgent action” to ensure their protection.
Official United Nations records show a stark upward trend. While 116 cases of recruitment were verified in 2020, that number climbed to 453 by 2024. These figures are based on the latest Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict.
However, the actual number of recruitment cases could be much higher due to underreporting, usually caused by the fear among victims’ families of retaliation from illegal armed groups.
Despite a historic peace agreement with FARC guerrillas in 2017, violence has persisted over the last decade as FARC dissidents and other illegal groups vie for control of illicit economies that used to be under the control of the guerrilla group.
Read more here.
Child Recruitment by Armed Groups in Colombia Quadruples in Last 5 Years, Says UNICEF
02/12/2026
Image
We work side by side with victims to obtain acknowledgment and redress for massive human rights violations, hold those responsible to account, reform and build democratic institutions, and prevent the recurrence of violence or repression.