Colombia earthquake: NGO warns of trafficking risk for children

By Bianca Tombini

The earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10 has caused a severe humanitarian crisis in a country already devastated by decades of internal conflict and economic hardship. At least 53,000 people have been affected in various ways by the earthquake, while at least 4,000 have been injured and nearly 300 people have died.

“Our emergency teams have managed to reach even the most remote villages,” says Stefano Piziali, director general of Cesvi, a humanitarian organisation that has worked in the South American country for years and immediately mobilised for the initial relief operations. “The earthquake hit isolated rural areas particularly hard, where entire families have lost everything,” Piziali adds, “and they do not know how to respond to yet another crisis. Among the hardest-hit areas are the regions of Chocó and Buenaventura, already affected by extreme poverty and a large displaced population as a result of internal migration.”

Cesvi’s response to the emergency

Earthquakes of this magnitude have dramatic consequences, not only because they leave people exhausted and deprived of basic necessities, but also because of the psychological impact, which can cause deep collective trauma. “Our humanitarian response,” the NGO’s director explains, “is particularly focused on establishing protection centres as soon as possible in the affected area, where, alongside essential supplies such as water and sanitation services, adequate psychosocial support can be provided.”

Cesvi humanitarian workers in the areas affected by the earthquake in Colombia (© Cesvi)   (©Cesvi)

According to the organisation, responding promptly to people’s needs is essential before recovery and economic development programmes can be launched. Cesvi’s priority remains to help communities regain their independence, as the director explains. “We hope that, as soon as the situation stabilises, local markets can resume operating, allowing us to launch economic support programmes that give families the means to meet their own needs directly, without having to depend on aid.”

Children at risk

In addition to devastating communities, the earthquake in Colombia risks worsening the social emergencies that have already affected the country for years. “Child trafficking in Latin America is a very serious problem,” warns Piziali. Colombian children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation by armed groups, paramilitary organisations and criminal networks.

“Trafficking,” the director explains, “is a phenomenon that increases when family units break down, a process accelerated by the confusion that has emerged in the country following the earthquake.” Regarding measures being taken to contain this danger, he adds: “It is important that those working in these contexts are people who know how to engage with children, help them understand that they can provide assistance, encourage them to speak, and make them feel cared for and protected.”

The severe damage caused by the earthquake in Colombia (© Cesvi)   (©Cesvi)

The importance of public awareness

The humanitarian crisis is also affecting indigenous communities, which are widely present in the areas hit by the earthquake. “The greatest risk,” warns the Cesvi director, “is that this traumatic event could further fracture indigenous communities.”

Piziali stresses that the response will not be a short-term effort, since the consequences of disasters of this kind do not end when the tremors stop. Cesvi, he assures, will make every effort to “accompany people throughout their recovery, with particular attention to environmental issues and the protection of indigenous communities.”

The overriding concern, however, is to keep international public attention focused on the work of humanitarian organisations in Colombia. They are, as the director concludes, “the only light of hope in a context where the population is exhausted and exposed to multiple risks.”

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