Statistics

  • Statistical Reports compiled by Colombian Organizations and  Departments.

    Colombia has a projected population for 2011 of 45.5 million inhabitants (36% are under 18, and of these 13.% are under 6 years, 11% are between 7 and 12 years and 11.7% are in the age of adolescence). Of this number 45% are in poverty and 16% in extreme poverty.

    Externado de Colombian University (ECU) Reported in 2006 that due to the social problems in Colombia especially with the young population , 4.7% of the children are orphaned and 35.4% have at least one absent parents.

    Demographic and Health Colombian Department. (CDH)states in their 2005 reports that girls are at the highest risk. Of the total recorded incidents of sexual abuse in Colombian 84.3% was to children of both sexes under the age of 18 years and of that figure 84% was against underage girls.

    The principal problems that children in Colombia are facing

    Lack of education
    Violence
    Poverty
    High unemployment
    Armed conflict in which 11,000 children are part of the guerrilla ranks.

     

    Situation of Orphans /Abandoned Children under 16 years.

    Published studies have found that in 2009:

    5% of children were orphans and 35% had at least one absent parent.
    845,410 live in a state of orphanhood or abandonment.
    14,887 between 5 years to 16 years end up being out of school and earning a living as domestic servants.
    104,679 are married or have partners.
    792,000 outside of the parental home.
    296,466 children live in households where the head  of the house is not even a related.

    Every hour of every day there is a child born in Colombia that is unwanted and will be abandoned. We are here to help these children.

    Health & Nutrition

    The statistics  of children under 16 years ; who are below their weigh expectation are:

    12% under 5 years

    13% from 5 to 9 years

    16% from 9 to 16 years

    As if this was not enough, 33% of children between 1 and 4 years of age suffer from anaemia and for those whose age ranges between 5 and 12 years reached such alarming levels as 37%. More than half of those under 18 years are anaemic.

    Education and Child Labour

    A significant number of Colombian children between  5 years  and 16 years

    are outside the educational system. The main  factor that strongly affects the dropout rate is the low incomes of poor uneducated  families, forcing children to work to earn their living.

    In Colombia 2,5 million  children, of whom approximately 1,7 million  are adolescents, are forced to work.

    Child Abuse

    Throughout 2010,

    Colombia reported a total of 35,204 complaints of physical and psychological abuse against children 7,637 referred to sexual abuse, (Colombian Wellbeing Institute   ICBF). It is estimated that 70% of  abuse cases go unreported.