From Schools to TikTok: How Armed Groups Are Recruiting Children in Colombia

Human Rights Watch has warned of an increasing number of child recruitment cases by armed groups in Colombia, noting that poverty, social marginalization, family violence, lack of educational opportunities, and social media have become key tools for luring children.

The organization said in a new report that the government has failed to effectively respond to the growing phenomenon, despite having official policies aimed at preventing recruitment, protecting children, and reintegrating those released.

More than 1,500 children recruited

According to official data, at least 1,500 children have been recruited since 2021, with a sharp rise in cases since 2023. The majority of cases are attributed to splinter groups from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), with more than half concentrated in the southwestern region of Cauca.

Indigenous children face a particularly high risk; they represent nearly half of recorded cases, despite making up only 4% of the country’s population. Moreover, over 30% of recruited children are between 10 and 14 years old—ages that could constitute a war crime under international law, according to the report.

Human Rights Watch stated that armed groups exploit fragile socioeconomic conditions, attracting children through promises of money, power, and social status. They also use intermediaries and civilian recruiters, some of whom receive up to $1,000 per child.

The organization reported that some children are transported to other areas to isolate them from their families and communities, where they are used for intelligence gathering, message delivery, medical care, hostage guarding, drug trafficking, or protecting group leaders. Girls are especially vulnerable to physical abuse and sexual violence.

The human rights organization criticized government policies, pointing out that the national policy on preventing recruitment, adopted in 2018, is outdated and lacks a clear action plan and dedicated budget. Additionally, agencies responsible for coordinating protection efforts suffer from insufficient resources and authority.

Human Rights Watch concluded that the judicial system has failed to hold perpetrators accountable: only about 1% of complaints related to child recruitment over the past decade led to criminal investigations, and just 0.2% resulted in convictions.

The organization urged the new administration of President Gustavo Petro to adopt a comprehensive security and justice strategy, placing child protection at the top of priorities, providing necessary resources to local authorities, and supporting indigenous communities and local leadership.

Social media as a recruitment tool

Human Rights Watch warned that armed groups are increasingly leveraging social media platforms to reach children.

Researchers reviewed over 70 testimonies and 40 posts from platforms including Facebook and TikTok, containing content glorifying joining armed groups and encouraging users to enlist.

The organization said these groups use such platforms to present an appealing image of life within their ranks, promote job offers that appear professionally legitimate but serve as recruitment traps, and communicate with potential recruits via public chat rooms and private messages.

According to the report, platforms have not effectively detected, removed, or prevented this type of content, and in some cases, platform algorithms may have contributed to the spread of these posts.

Meta and ByteDance, the owners of Facebook and TikTok, confirmed to the organization that their policies prohibit content promoting, supporting, or glorifying violent organizations, including Colombian armed groups, and that they have mechanisms to protect children and prevent the spread of such content. They also reported removing accounts flagged by the organization that contained explicit recruitment offers. The platforms were urged to strengthen content monitoring systems to prevent child recruitment.

"Stopping child recruitment will require far more than simply deploying soldiers on the ground," said Juanita Guerres, Director of the Americas Division at Human Rights Watch, emphasizing that at-risk children need real opportunities for education and employment.