In Barrancabermeja, the Territorial Directorate of the Victims Unit in Magdalena Medio participated in the organization of two activities to commemorate the International Day for the prevention of recruitment and use of children and adolescents in armed conflict.

The E Caminos de San Silvestre branch of Diego Hernández de Gallegos School, in the third district of Barrancabermeja, was the institution in which took place the commemoration activities of international day against the recruitment and use of children and adolescents to the conflict armed in the country.

The activity that started around 8:00 a.m. had the participation of the territorial director of the Victims Unit in Magdalena Medio, and of different institutions working on the subject, such as the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF), the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN), the Municipal Mayor's Office, the National Police, Army and National Navy.

The objective of this activity was to present different alternatives for the life of participants, and to invite them to avoid being vulnerable to the scourge of war.

In the development of the activity, which involved approximately 250 students of the institution, they performed canine show, animation intervention and instruction by institutions, in addition to artistic presentations such as dance, singing and theater, in this case in charge of the students.

In the intervention of the territorial director of the Victims Unit in Magdalena Medio, Amparo Chicué, highlighted the work articulated with the different entities: "It is very important to achieve together with all participating institutions of the organization of this commemoration that it is done every February 12, because we are here to advance in this great work that what it seeks is to prevent the recruitment of children and adolescents (NNA) to the conflict ".

Similarly, he added that "I want to pay tribute to the professors present and also tell them that it is essential that they know the work of these institutions, and in turn highlight the work you do every day for those who are the future of country".

In addition to the main activity, the subject was also linked in the conversation held at the victim assistance point in Barrancabermeja, socializing the information regarding the commemoration and those present were invited to paint their hand with the red color, representative of this date, as a sign of "stop" the scourge of recruitment and use of infants in armed conflict and additionally highlighted the need for a work with co-responsibility involving parents, civil society, and the State, with the purpose of caring for and providing protective environments for children and adolescents.

It should be noted that the commemoration of this date began in 2002 when the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Child regarding the participation of children in armed conflicts entered into force, which since that year many institutions and communities have been articulating a work that allows to counteract this scourge.

The National Government has constantly worked on updating the public policy of prevention of recruitment, use, use and sexual violence against children by illegal armed groups, which is of the utmost importance and priority to address the new challenges posed by the country's sociopolitical changes and to ensure that violations of children and adolescents rights are not repeated.

It is important to announce that next Saturday February 16, from 8:00 am, the organizing entities will be concentrated in the Zenú settlement, in order to take the offer to this population and in turn will be delivered school kits.