Infancia en la mira: la ruta del reclutamiento infantil en Colombia A former recruiter for illegal armed groups in southwestern Colombia exposes the systematic recruitment of children as young as 12, using deception, isolation, and violence. Minors are trained and used as disposable assets, facing severe punishment for desertion and girls enduring sexual exploitation. This practice is particularly prevalent in departments like Cauca, Valle, and Nariño, fueled by economic hardship and state neglect.

• Child recruitment by illegal armed groups is rampant in southwestern Colombia, with minors as young as 12 being enlisted.
• Recruiters use deception, gifts, and promises to lure children, isolating them from families and subjecting them to physical, psychological, and sexual violence.
• Recruited children are trained to fight and are treated as disposable ‘merchandise,’ with severe consequences for desertion, including death.
• Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation by commanders and face strict prohibitions against pregnancy.
• Departments like Cauca, Valle, and Nariño are heavily affected due to economic conditions, state abandonment, and territorial disputes.
• The cycle of recruitment continues, with organizations like the Estado Mayor Central actively expanding their networks.