Since armed conflict abruptly escalated on 16 January in Colombia’s Catatumbo region, non-state armed groups have impacted nearly 91,400 people, including displacing at least 13,170 children. Many families have been forced from their homes into overcrowded shelters or to seek refuge with relatives in nearby cities like Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú. 

More than 46,000 children and adolescents in the region are facing alarming risks, including fear of recruitment into non-state armed gangs due to disruptions to their education. Child recruitment in Colombia has soared by more than 1000% in the past four years, jumping from 37 cases in 2021 to 409 in 2024, according to the Ombudsman’s Office. The rise is particularly severe in remote areas where children who are out of school are more vulnerable. 

María Mercedes Liévano, Save the Children Colombia Country Director, during a recent visit to Cúcuta, said: 

“You can only imagine the constant fear these families are facing. They are leaving everything behind, fleeing to regions that are already overstretched. They are terrified of speaking out, afraid that their children will be targeted and recruited by non-state armed groups. People are even afraid to talk among themselves, worried they have been followed or have infiltrators from non-state armed groups in their midst. 

“Families on the move are also being torn apart, leaving their children with relatives while they try to protect their homes, fearing forced recruitment and not seeing their children again. In overcrowded shelters, the challenges are unprecedented. We’ve seen whole families sharing tiny rooms, which puts children at heightened risk of sexual and gender-based abuse. There is a dramatic need for more help to these children and their families.” 

Save the Children calls on parties to the conflict to immediately de-escalate the violence, ensure children are protected from  recruitment and those who were forced to join armed groups can reintegrate back into their communities. Life-saving humanitarian assistance and aid workers must be allowed to reach those in need without delay.  

The child rights organisation is also calling on the government of Colombia to prioritisethe education and protection of children, including migrants and refugees, through increased funding for child protection services, particularly with a focus on sexual and gender-based violence in informal settlements and shelters, and mental health and psychosocial support initiatives.  

In Ocaña and Cúcuta, Save the Children is providing hygiene kits and food supplies to displaced children and their families. The child rights organisation is also working in coordination with World Vision, Plan International, Cadena, and other institutional and humanitarian entities to support children, adolescents, and their families through health and nutrition assistance, including screenings and weight monitoring, psychosocial and mental health support for children and adolescents, child-friendly spaces, and activating protection pathways in collaboration with the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF). 

Save the Children has worked in Colombia for 40 years, working in different regions to promote comprehensive child development and advocate for the protection of their rights through various projects related to livelihoods, nutrition, health services, education, resilience to climate change, and prevention of all types of violence, among others. 

Notes to editor:

• Since the violence escalated on 16 January, more than 91,483 in the region have been affected, including more than 57,259 people who have been displaced. An estimated 13,170 (23%) children have been displaced.  This equals to an average of about 220 children displaced every day during a 60 -day period. 

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  For further enquiries please contact:

  Leonardo Barreto, fabian.barreto@savethechildren.org
  Coordinador nacional de comunicaciones