From Colombia with Love: Exploring New Partnerships to End the Recruitment and Use of Children
“Recruitment and use of children is a problem in many places in the world and is happening increasingly in non-conflict situations. At the Dallaire Institute, we believe that we can contribute to efforts to prevent the recruitment and use of children through our preventive, integral and strategic approach.”
- Dr. Shelly Whitman, Executive Director
The leaves of Nova Scotia’s abundant maple, oak, beech, and ash trees had just begun to take on their fall colours at the end of September, when the Dallaire Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Shelly Whitman, flew to Bogotá, Colombia, to join Martin Vidal, the Director of our Latin American and Caribbean Center of Excellence and Marianela Fuertes, our Research Advisor, for an eye-opening introduction to the people, culture, and dynamics of the second most biodiverse country in the world and South America’s second most populated nation.
Bogotá’s landscape
Despite its breathtaking beauty and diversity, Colombia has experienced internal violence for more than five decades. Although the country has made progress in preventing the recruitment and use of children, the latest report of the UN Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict indicated an increase in the number of grave violations against children. The visit of the Dallaire Institute’s team provided an opportunity to begin engaging with the Colombian Government and other stakeholders, to explore avenues for collaboration to support the government’s goal of achieving “total peace” in the country.
The Dallaire Institute team met with local and international partners, community leaders, and government officials during their visit to Colombia in September 2023.
One of the high points of the Colombia trip occurred on day one. Nothing could have prepared the Dallaire Institute trio for their emotional interaction with children at Benposta whose lives had been impacted by armed violence.
Benposta Nacion de Muchachos, is a social enterprise founded by Spanish priest Jesús César Silva Méndez (Father Silva) to provide educational and vocational training as well as counselling to help vulnerable children and adolescents at risk of being recruited for armed violence.
“I am here at Benposta because my situation was so difficult that I was not able to leave my home. I was scared of the armed groups that were always in my neighbourhood,” said a 13-year-old member of the community.
Executive Director, Dr. Shelly Whitman, and the Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Centre of Excellence, Mr. Martin Vidal, interacting with children at Benposta.
After two intense days of meetings and consultations with local and international stakeholders including civil society groups, private individuals and government officials, the Dallaire Institute team attended a Public Forum on Strengthening Public Policy for the Prevention of the Recruitment of Children jointly organised by the Dallaire Institute and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
In her remarks at the event, Executive Director, Dr. Shelly Whitman, noted the increasing global significance and impact of the Dallaire Institute’s work to end the recruitment and use of children in armed violence, and its willingness to collaborate with the Government and people of Colombia to chart a course towards sustainable peace and security in the country.
“We came here to begin an interactive and constructive dialogue and engagement with the Colombian Government and other stakeholders in Colombia to explore opportunities of collaboration in support of the common goal of preventing and ending the recruitment and use of children in armed violence.”
“Recruitment and use of children is a problem in many places in the world and is happening increasingly in non-conflict situations, where criminal organizations play a leading role in extending the prevalence of this grave violation of children´s rights. At the Dallaire Institute, we believe that we can contribute to these efforts through our preventive, integral and strategic approach, and that Colombia could provide important lessons to be shared globally” she said.
Dr. Shelly Whitman addresses government representatives, the security sector, civil society groups and private citizens at a Public Forum on Strengthening Public Policy for the Prevention of Recruitment of Children, organized in collaboration with USIP.
The Public Forum also featured two panel discussions. Sitting on the first panel were local and community leaders from areas affected by armed groups, who shared their observations on trends around recruiting children in their communities.
A community leader commented that “The recruitment of children is a vehicle to control and constrain families and communities, they get so afraid to denounce the situation because they are concerned about the safety of the children that have been taken.”
The second panel, moderated by the Director of our Latin American and Caribbean Center of Excellence, Martín Vidal, explored critical institutional and policy perspectives on preventing the recruitment of children.
Linking the demands presented by the community leaders and the responses by the government representatives, Mr. Vidal highlighted the rich network of state institutions and civil society organizations involved in defending and promoting children’s rights in Colombia, which represents a key asset that requires constant articulation and coordination at various levels.
Mr. Martin Vidal moderates a panel on institutional and policy perspectives on preventing the recruitment of children.
Our team was reluctant to leave Colombia after basking in its warmth (literally and figuratively). We could not have done it without the support of our hardworking team. Thank you, Marianela Fuertes, and Martin Vidal. Our appreciation also goes to the Government and people of Colombia for the warm welcome. We are excited at the prospect of a new partnership and cannot wait to see how things will unfold. We are already making plans for a return visit!
