Children’s Day in Colombia: Celebration and Challenges

Children’s Day in Colombia is celebrated every year on April 27 since 2001. Officially referred to as the Celebration of Children’s Day and Recreation, Colombia’s Children’s Day focuses on raising awareness about child protection and their right to holistic personal development. Approximately 30 percent of the Colombian population is under the age of 19, as the demographic profile remains dynamic despite a recent decline in the birth rate.

Children’s Day in Colombia

On Children’s Day, Colombian children can enjoy a wide variety of free and exclusive activities all across the country, as public institutions organize events in almost every town and neighborhood. In Bogota, for instance, the city’s International Book Fair has dedicated special spaces and public lectures for children. In Medellin, the municipality is organizing free games and activities around the Atanasio Girardot Stadium. In Barranquilla, free theatrical performances will be held in the city schools to introduce children to the art of acting.

Children’s rights challenges

Due to Colombia’s deeply rooted social inequalities, children are particularly vulnerable. In the country’s poorest regions such as the Pacific, the Amazon, and the Guajira Department, infant mortality remains high, more than three times the national average. It is estimated that half a million Colombian children suffer from chronic malnutrition. For many children, studying is also challenging due to a lack of resources, which forces them to work. In 2023, it was estimated that 10 percent of children aged between 15 and 17 were employed.

Colombian children are also highly exposed to violence, particularly sexual violence. According to a 2019 investigation by the End Violence Partnership, a UN initiative against child violence, around 40 percent of Colombian children have experienced sexual, physical, or emotional violence. Added to this, several recent cases of child sexual exploitation have highlighted the existence of child trafficking networks in the country.