UNODC/UNICEF Global Programme on Violence against Children in the field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

  

In Colombia, UNODC is implementing restorative justice for children and peacebuilding activities for children who are deprived of their liberty under the UNODC/UNICEF Global Programme on Violence against Children in the field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice 

27 October 2015 - Drawing on the "United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice", new international standards and norms adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2014 (A/RES/69/194), and under the umbrella of the UNODC/UNICEF Global Programme on Violence against Children in the field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, UNODC jointly with the Colombian Family Welfare Institute implements restorative justice practices and peacebuilding activities for children deprived of their liberty.

Restorative justice for children seeks to repair the damage caused by the child offender through various alternative mechanisms of conflict resolution such as mediation, restorative circles and community service involving the offender, the victim and the community. It recognizes the protagonist role of the victim while at the same promotes the reintegration and rehabilitation of the child offender.

In four regions of Colombia: Bolívar (Cartagena), Antioquia (Medellín), Valle (Cali) and Santander (Bucaramanga), UNODC juvenile justice experts are currently applying restorative justice practices with the aim to impact judicial proceedings of those children in pre-trial detention and achieving early release for those who are serving a custodial sentence.

The work of UNODC in those four regions focuses on fostering peace between groups of children in detention facilities, who show problems of cohabitation stemming from regionalism, neighborhood violence and rivalry. With the aim to achieve a peaceful and non-violent environment for all children in those detention facilities, UNODC is currently carrying-out peacebuilding workshops and related activities, including sensibilization, reaching peace agreements and cross-intercultural activities.

With the UNODC/UNICEF Global Programme on Violence against Children in the field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, UNODC aims not only to build and strengthen the capacity of personnel dealing with children in detention, including psychologists and social workers in Cartagena, Medellin, Cali and Bucaramanga but ultimately to contribute to the peacebuilding process by promoting good practices in the area of juvenile justice.