Colombia, country of honour for the 2023 edition
Growing up in peace in a context of insecurity
Despite the presence of abundant raw materials, Colombia is a country with strong social and economic inequalities caused by an economic and political conflict that has lasted since the 1950s. In addition, since the 1970s, the opposition between guerrillas, paramilitary militias and the army, as well as the emergence of drug trafficking, have contributed to the intensification of violence throughout the country. The signing of a peace agreement in 2016 between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) raised hopes, but ultimately led to a proliferation of numerous armed actors and an explosion of insecurity.
Among the 7.9 million victims of the conflict, Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities are among the worst affected. In the department of Cauca, Terre des Hommes Suisse is working with its partner, the association Casita de Niños or ASOCAS (Asociación Casita de Niños Para la Investigación y Promoción de la Educación Infantil), for quality education and the protection of children and young people in the management of security risks.
This region is particularly affected by this context of insecurity where acts of forced recruitment, forced displacement and other examples of non-respect of children’s rights proliferate with impunity.
Intimidation, dropping out of school, child and youth labour, intra-family violence, emotional fragility are the daily life of many children in the region, especially in the village of La Balsa where our partner “Casita de Niños” is a direct observer.
Terre des Hommes Switzerland and its partner Casita de Niños (ASOCAS) work for the well-being of children and young people in two main areas related to children's rights
1. Ensuring access to quality and contextualised education for all vulnerable and marginalised children and young people
In the Cauca region, ASOCAS provides education for 5,000 children and young people. Several times a week, these children and young people take part in playful workshops where they learn about the importance of their rights. They also learn about environmental protection, respect for ethnic and cultural diversity, community history, promotion of ethno-cultural values and identity building. ASOCAS has developed formal and non-formal school programmes adapted to the context in order to revalorise the Afro-Colombian identity and to fight against all forms of violence and discrimination against children, young people and populations in the rural areas of northern Cauca.
2. Ensure the protection of children and young people in managing safety risks
In the Cauca region, ASOCAS provides education for 5,000 children and young people. Several times a week, these children and young people take part in playful workshops where they learn about the importance of their rights. They also learn about environmental protection, respect for ethnic and cultural diversity, community history, promotion of ethno-cultural values and identity building. ASOCAS has developed formal and non-formal school programmes adapted to the context in order to revalorise the Afro-Colombian identity and to fight against all forms of violence and discrimination against children, young people and populations in the rural areas of northern Cauca.
The educational approach of Casita de Niños (ASOCAS) allows to value the local culture and to strengthen the links with the communities to improve the protection of children and young people!
This programme is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
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