Child recruitment into armed groups
Despite the 2016 Peace Agreement, children in Colombia continue to be recruited and exploited by illegal armed groups.
Forced recruitment robs children of their safety, education and childhood, exposing them to violence, exploitation and lasting trauma. While overall levels of conflict have declined in some areas, children living in conflict-affected communities remain at significant risk.
What is Forced Recruitment?
Forced recruitment refers to the unlawful recruitment or use of children by illegal armed groups. Children may be abducted, threatened or coerced into joining, or manipulated through false promises of safety, belonging, money or status.
Many children become involved because they see no alternative to poverty, limited educational opportunities or ongoing insecurity. Others are forcibly taken from their families and communities. Even when children appear to join willingly, these decisions are shaped by violence, fear and a lack of opportunities, meaning their recruitment cannot be considered truly voluntary.
Why are children recruited?
Children are often targeted because they are easier to manipulate, control and intimidate than adults. Armed groups deliberately recruit children because they are seen to be easier to control, less expensive to maintain and, tragically, more easy to replace than adult fighters. Children are often given little or no pay and are forced into dangerous roles, including combat, intelligence gathering, transporting weapons and supplies, and domestic labour.
Children living in remote rural areas, where civil service and educational opportunities are limited, face the greatest risk. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities are disproportionately affected. Many of these communities live in territories where armed groups compete for control, leaving children particularly vulnerable to recruitment. According to El Tiempo, 55% of children recruited in 2025 were from Indigenous communities, highlighting the disproportionate impact on these populations.
Cecilia’s story
After being placed in an overcrowded institution after fleeing a guerrilla group, Cecilia was brought to Bogotá to live in a foster home and rebuild her life.
Once an anxious child who dreamed of escaping, she now dreams of becoming a businesswoman and setting up her own hotel chain.
Cecilia’s story
After being placed in an overcrowded institution after fleeing a guerrilla group, Cecilia was brought to Bogotá to live in a foster home and rebuild her life.
Once an anxious child who dreamed of escaping, she now dreams of becoming a businesswoman and setting up her own hotel chain.
The impact on children
Forced recruitment has devastating consequences that often last a lifetime.
Children recruited by armed groups may experience:
- physical violence and abuse
- sexual violence and exploitation
- psychological trauma
- separation from their families
- loss of education
- increased risk of injury or death
- challenges reintegrating into their communities
Many children continue to experience the effects of trauma long after they leave armed groups, affecting their education, relationships and future opportunities.
The scale of the issue
Despite national and international efforts to protect children, forced recruitment remains a serious concern.
- Between January and December 2025, 339 cases of child recruitment were reported in Colombia.
- In 2026, at least 51 cases have already been documented. It is impossible to gauge the real number due to the amount of unreported cases.
- According to the United Nations, cases of child recruitment and use by armed groups have increased by more than 300% over the past five years.
These figures are likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem, as many cases go unreported in remote and conflict-affected areas.
How Children Change Colombia are helping
Children Change Colombia works alongside trusted local partners to reduce the risks that lead to child recruitment. By improving access to education, creating safe spaces, strengthening community protection networks and providing psychosocial support, we help children build safer futures away from armed groups.
Our projects are helping to tackle and prevent child recruitment into armed groups, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Find out how you can get involved to support our mission, or donate today to provide valuable resources to children and young people across Colombia.
