ECPAT Colombia works to promote and defend children’s rights, especially child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The group has worked in vulnerable communities and with educational institutions in the cities of Barranquilla, Bogota and Cartagena de Indias, becoming a leader in CSEC prevention and awareness-raising for youth in the country. The group, with the help of Fundación Renacer, has focused its work on two areas: prevention and awareness and youth participation in public policy. In the area of prevention and awareness, activities undertaken include: the creation of an ECPAT Youth Group for CSEC prevention; training children and youth on CSEC issues; recreational activities with child victims as part of social reintegration; and awareness-raising workshops for parents in communities vulnerable to CSEC.
Contact: Mrs. Luz Stella Cardenas Ovalle
Phone: +57 1 2486542, +57 1 8050217
Address: Calle 76 BIS, No 20C-51, Santa Fe de Bogotá
Email: fundacionrenacer@fundacionrenacer.org
Website: http://www.fundacionrenacer.org
Children in prostitution is the most common form of SEC in Colombia. Children can be found with offenders in public places, mainly on the streets and in shelters.
One of the worst implications of the on-going, half-century long conflict between the Colombian government and several guerrilla groups is the high demand for children in order to satisfy the sexual needs of fighters or to obtain confidential information from members of the public in exchange for sexual favours.
Year: 2025
Year: 2024
Year: 2024
Year: 2023
Year: 2023
Year: 2022
No
The age of sexual consent is 14 years for both girls and boys. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exemption.
Analysis of country legislation on age of sexual consent, 2024
Partial
Active and passive extraterritoriality is provided for all crimes punished with at least one year of imprisonment (including all SEC-related crimes) but only when the perpetrator is in Colombian territory. Universal jurisdiction is applied to all crimes punished with at least three years of imprisonment (excluding political crimes) when the perpetrator is in Colombian territory and for which a request for extradition has been denied. Double criminality is not required.
Extradition requires a minimum gravity of four years of imprisonment as well as an official indictment or equivalent resolution to have been issued by the requesting country. Double criminality is also required.
SECTT Legal Checklist Colombia, 2020
Not Yet Assessed
Yes
The national legislation establishes a mandatory background check requirement for every person hired for a job, position or profession in the private or public sector that involves direct and usual relationship with minors. This rule also applies for volunteers. The background check is also required for people working in the restaurant and tourism sector in customer-facing positions. This law also prohibits convicted sex offenders to hold positions in both public and private settings involving or facilitating contact with children.
SECTT Legal Checklist Colombia, 2020
Partial
Colombia has ratified the CRC, the OPSC, the Trafficking Protocol and the ILO Convention No. 182.
Colombia has also ratified the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention.
Colombia has not ratified the OPIC, the UNWTO Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics nor the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention.
SECTT Legal Checklist Colombia, 2020
Not Yet Assessed
Not Yet Assessed
Yes
Colombia has implemented a national code for child protection in travel and tourism as a binding requirement for industry operators.
SECTT Legal Checklist Colombia, 2020
Not Yet Assessed
