Colombia

DFATD Contribution: $ 17,000,000

The goal of the project is to contribute to an environment in which the full realization of the rights of children and adolescents, social inclusion of children and adolescents, and non-violence are guaranteed by the Colombian state and civil society through national legislation and compliance with international human rights instruments. The project focuses on the most disadvantaged areas and on vulnerable population groups (Afro-Colombians, indigenous peoples, internally displaced people, people affected by violence, and people living in rural or poor areas). It prioritizes 11 departments in which key social development and child rights indicators are significantly below national averages and where violence and its consequences have had a significant impact on children and their families.

The project aims to enhance the capacity of government and civil society to develop public policies in favour of children and adolescents. It supports the implementation of a policy that guarantees early childhood education for 400,000 children under the age of five. It contributes to improving the quality of education for schoolchildren in the 11 priority departments. It promotes active participation by adolescents and children in the development of education programs and departmental and municipal plans that promote and protect their rights. At the national level, the project contributes to the implementation of the Child and Adolescent Code.