Abstract
A better understanding of the experiences of young people before, during and after belonging to an illegal armed group (IAG) can provide information to promote their reintegration into urban settings in Colombia and to help prevent violence. A qualitative study with a hermeneutic historical approach was performed to examine these experiences from the perspective of direct or indirect participants in the armed conflict. Fifty individuals aged 14-24 years (7 women and 43 men) with low socioeconomic status from Medellín were interviewed; 26 of them had a history of direct experience with IAGs. What stands out in their stories are descriptions of obstacles to progress in their lives; lives marked by stigma, poverty, violence and inequality; the differences of opinion among these young people regarding whether to belong to these illegal groups; how becoming an active member of an IAG creates both an opportunity for the present and an additional obstacle for the future, which adds complexity to the risk behaviors they assume; and how the reintegration process offers new expectations regarding access to educational and employment opportunities and social recognition. All of these factors point to the need for not only a comprehensive reintegration process but for more inclusive and equitable social policies, in this case for children and young people.
Highlights
In Colombia, there is a complex network of illegal armed groups (IAGs), among which guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, for its Spanish acronym), the National Liberation Army (ELN, for its Spanish acronym) and the Popular Liberation Army (EPL, for its Spanish acronym) stand out
In 2009, after the culmination of the paramilitary demobilization process[7], the homicide rate in the city increased to 94.0 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants[8]; the rate for 2014 was only 26.94. These variations show how much more we need to understand and do regarding this problem. Based on these coarse data and considering that violence is exercised by a variety of offenders, we can say that the phenomenon of violence in Colombia is complex and severe
The category Experiences with illegal armed groups corresponds to situations the young people experienced in relation to belonging to an IAG, whether they experienced them directly or through other young people, neighbors or neighborhood friends
Summary
In Colombia, there is a complex network of illegal armed groups (IAGs), among which guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, for its Spanish acronym), the National Liberation Army (ELN, for its Spanish acronym) and the Popular Liberation Army (EPL, for its Spanish acronym) stand out. In 2009, after the culmination of the paramilitary demobilization process[7], the homicide rate in the city increased to 94.0 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants[8]; the rate for 2014 was only 26.94 These variations show how much more we need to understand and do regarding this problem. Based on these coarse data and considering that violence is exercised by a variety of offenders (such as IAG members, drug traffickers, organized crime groups and serious offenders who do not belong to armed groups, such as participants in brawls and family violence), we can say that the phenomenon of violence in Colombia is complex and severe
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
