Colombia - A series of street demonstrations and social media posts commemorating the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers brought together some 50,000 Colombians united in their indignation against the crime of recruiting children into illegal armed groups.

The initiative is part of the Soñar es un Derecho (Dreaming is a Right) campaign, which is supported by IOM, the Colombian Government, USAID and the Fundacion Mi Sangre, created by the singer Juanes.

The 2014 strategy asks Colombians to join the symbolic rejection of the recruitment of minors by participating in street demonstrations and online through social networks and websites.

The physical demonstrations were organized as cicloPAZeos (a play on the Spanish words – cycle, peace and outing) – in various cities and municipalities throughout Colombia along bicycle routes.

Some 10,000 persons raised their Índice de Paz, (“index finger of peace”), as a sign of their rejection of this crime and shared the photo on social networks. 

Some 40,000 others took to the streets in Bogotá, Medellín and 58 other municipalities on bicycles, roller skates and on foot to symbolically declare: “I protect the rights of children.”

Artistic, cultural and sports activities were organized along the bicycle routes to draw attention to the need to prevent the recruitment of children and of the co-responsibility of the State, society and the family to guarantee the rights of children and adolescents.

“Although no one knows the exact number of children and adolescents who remain among the ranks of illegal armed groups, but this number is irrelevant in the face of the magnitude of crimes and human rights violations that they have endured,” said Marcelo Pisani, IOM Chief of Mission in Colombia.

More than 5,400 children and adolescents disengaged from illegal armed groups have been assisted by the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF), the government agency responsible for providing assistance, protection and support so they can rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.

Since March 2001, with funding from USAID, IOM has been working with ICBF to strengthen its assistance model provided to minors freed from illegal armed groups. This includes shelter, food, health, psychosocial support, education, and cultural and sports activities.

As of 31 December 2013, 28 per cent of the total number of disengaged children were girls and 72 per cent were boys. Sixty per cent of them were recruited by the FARC, 20 per cent by the now demobilized AUC, and 15 per cent by the ELN guerrilla group.  Some 83 per cent of the demobilized children and adolescents left the groups voluntarily, while 17 per cent were rescued.

For more information, please contact

Karen Mora
IOM Colombia
Tel: +57 16397777 Ext. 1330
Email: kmora@iom.int