Gangs target Colombian children
The country’s government has doubled security forces, but children as young as nine are still being recruited by gangs.
Published On 22 Mar 2014
An increasing number of young people in Buenaventura, Colombia, are being forced to join criminal gangs, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.
Even though the Colombian government recently doubled the strength of security forces in the city, children as young as nine are being targeted.
Young people in Buenaventura have to overcome huge challenges.
A quarter never go to school and those who do graduate face an unemployment rate of more than 60 percent.
So, many turn to gangs.
Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti reports from Buenaventura.