Third World Quarterly
Volume 39, Issue 5, 2018, Pages 941-958

The relationship between human trafficking and child recruitment in the Colombian armed conflict (Article)

Hurtado M.* , Iranzo Dosdad Á. , Gómez Hernández S.
  • a Faculty of Law & Political Sciences, The University of La Sabana, Chía, Colombia
  • b International Relations and Multidimensional Security, The University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
  • c The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

The article rethinks the relationship between human trafficking as organised crime and child recruitment as a war crime. After analysing the records of 132 cases of child and adolescent recruitment brought before Colombia’s ordinary justice system between 2008 and 2016, it became clear that the youngsters involved had performed activities both directly and indirectly related to the conflict, but also that they had been exploited and maltreated, with no control over their situation. Reassessment of the relationship between human trafficking and child recruitment could result in more effective justice for this population by shedding light on alternate ways to construct reparation and reintegration. © 2017 Southseries Inc., www.thirdworldquarterly.com.

Author Keywords

Colombia peacebuilding new wars Child recruitment Human trafficking

Index Keywords

social justice Colombia Child Welfare armed forces trafficking peace process conflict management war
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85037694658&doi=10.1080%2f01436597.2017.1408404&partnerID=40&md5=702879bdd53c5b669575bb8d7b5c746d
DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2017.1408404
ISSN: 01436597
Original Language: English