Protecting the Rights of Conflict Affected Children

The cause:

War and Conflict and Poverty

The facts:

• Poverty and inequality: Children and youth make up only 42% of the total population in Colombia but 57% of the population living in poverty.
• Children in conflict: Colombia has been embroiled in decades-long internal armed conflict since 1964, exposing children to landmines, internal displacement, and recruitment into armed groups.

The project:

To break the cycle of violence and poverty in Colombia, Plan is implementing a child rights-based project with a special focus on girls and young women, who are disproportionately affected by inequality and poverty because of their gender.

The details:

Improving children's rights in Colombia means getting involved in many different aspects of their lives, including education, citizenship, health, safety and work life. Overall, the project has reached 97,800 boys and girls in Tumaco and Cartagena, Colombia.

Knowing that healthy babies grow up into healthy children, Plan has provided health services to moms before, during and after childbirth. Once babies are born, Plan assists families to register their children, making them official citizens of Colombia. A birth certificate gives children important social, educational and political rights and protection against trafficking, exploitation and abuse.

Plan improves school buildings and provides educational materials to help increase the number of children who are enrolled in school. Clean water and toilets provided by Plan help make sure students stay healthy and safe.

A Centre for Rehabilitation and Reintegration for children who have experienced violence and sexual exploitation helps children get on with their lives and access important services, like counseling and life skills training. To prevent more violence in the future, Plan holds workshops with children and youth on conflict resolution.

The project also included economic empowerment: older children were involved in youth savings groups and vocational training to prepare them for the world of work. Savings prepare families to deal with emergencies and crises, and enable them to make investments like starting a new business or building a house.

The big picture:

This project supports children's rights laid out in The Convention on the Rights of the Child:

• Article 6: Every child has the inherent right to life survival and development.
• Articles 7 & 8: The child shall be registered immediately after birth and have the right to a name a nationality [and] to preserve his or her identity.
• Article 19: Children must be protected from injury or abuse including sexual abuse, while in the care of parents or any other person.
• Article 24: All children have the right to the highest attainable standard of health [including access to] primary health care nutritious foods and clean drinking water.
• Articles 28 & 29: State signatories must recognize the right of the child to education [that develops] the child