What are the main problems and changes needed facing Columbia today?

Answer 1

In Manizales, Colombia, health workers are committed to preventing the ill-treatment of children through a symbolic vaccination against violence campaign. Through these playfully designed actions it was possible to make parents and other adults in the community aware of the children's rights defence issue. This article describes an original experiment which may be a source of inspiration for other projects in other contexts. It was sent to us by the authors of the programme : Carlos Alberto Montoya, a paediatrician at the Social Security Clinic and Medicine Professor at the University of Caldas Manizales, Luz Estella Echeverry, social worker, Clemencia Calle, nurse, Maria del Socorro Arias, nurse as well as the staff of the ISS Manizales clinic with the support of the Colombian Paediatrics Society.

Violence in Colombia (South America) is a serious social problem, as over a period of years, thousands of people, including children, have been victims of aggression in all its forms. However something can be done to break the cycles of violence through various actions. The aim of the project outlined here, elaborated by Manizales-Caldas in Colombia, is one of PROMOTION AND PREVENTION by means of reflection but also interactive methods geared to developing a sense of recognition and reconciliation between individuals, based on non-violent resolution of conflicts to save children - the most vulnerable beings socially speaking - from aggression.

Violence is the cause of a good many public health problems in Colombia. Each day there are 70 violent murders, 10 political assassinations as well as 10 child deaths through ill-treatment and sexual abuse. Furthermore, 7000 children are involved in fighting organisations. It is also clear that the violence gripping our country today is repeated through the generations in the form of unbroken cycles as many of the adults who ill-treat their children were themselves ill-treated during their childhood.

The first experiment in vaccination against violence was performed in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, in 1996 with the support of the mayor, Antanas Mockus, during which 40,000 symbolic vaccinations were administered over a ten day period. Others followed elsewhere. It was in the social security clinic in Manizales (380,000 inhabitants), in the centre of Columbia - in the coffee producing region - that this two-day symbolic vaccination took place. Indeed, by combating violence and ill-treatment of children, and seeking to act in accordance with policies aimed at protecting Columbian children's rights, as well as disseminating a culture based on good treatment and respect with regard to the children of Manizales, we believe we are promoting the non-violent resolution of conflicts within families and the school system. It is a direct contribution to peace in our country.

Methodology :

The first step consists of a number of meetings aimed at helping adults, health workers and people working for the town of Manizales become more aware of the issues of violence and ill-treatment of children as well as the importance of symbolic vaccination and the way to administer it. These meetings have been set up by the team in charge of prevention and diagnosis.

The aim is to train vaccinators in the prevention of ill-treatment of children and the detection of sexual abuse and then to teach the main factors of treatment and how to perform the vaccination. The teaching material used is easy-to-read literature especially produced to encourage vaccination and explain what it involves. Two vaccination sessions and one psychological first aid session were organised on the subject of the problems posed by the detection and denouncement of cases of ill-treatment, as well as on the theme of psychological support therapy.

Two people, an adult and a child, are placed in each vaccination centre to administer the symbolic vaccinations, and explain the purpose of the operation. A vaccination certificate is then delivered.

HAPPY CHILDHOOD

'for the proper treatment of children'

I..................., have been vaccinated against ill-treatment of children at the ISS-Villapilar Clinic, Manizales-Cladas, Colombia.

From now on, and for all time, I shall see that all children are treated well; I shall contribute to promoting respect towards others and to making our world a world of peace and love.

The child, who has been trained, then intervenes and performs the vaccination using a needle-less syringe containing distilled water with a coloured sweetener to make the liquid more attractive. Finally, the 'patient' is given a piece of paper on which he/she writes a message dedicated to peace, tolerance and peaceful cohabitation which is then fixed to a map of Columbia. In addition, the place where the vaccination takes place is decorated with non-violent conflict resolution messages, and there are fun activities for both children and adults to try while they are there.

Follow-up and evaluation:

Cases of ill-treatment were detected and reported in the course of the consultations. Two days of vaccination were held in October 1999 and 2000 at the social security clinic in Manizales, Colombia. A group of 50 children and adults, 60% of whom work in healthcare, were trained and performed 1200 vaccinations (60% on children, 40% on adults). The age range of those vaccinated was 1 month to 16 years for the children and 20 to 65 years for the adults. After the vaccination each was invited to write a message of commitment.

Reactions showed that parents wished to commit themselves more deeply to becoming better, more tolerant, more patient, more understanding and more available parents for their children, avoiding the use of violence in reprimanding them. For the children, the two days generated reflections against war, illegal confinement and massacres as well as a rejection of ill-treatment. They also expressed a desire to develop mutual support and have access to public health services, education and protection and wished to protect the planet. They also expressed their commitment both in doing their duty and claiming their rights. Peace begins and is built within each home; it must be present in our hearts and have respect of life as its goal : 'Minds and hearts at peace, Colombia at peace.'

Conclusions :

We consider these actions important and symbolic as a means of dissemination and prevention in the fight against the serious problem of violence towards children and young people in Colombia. They provided a forum for reflection and awareness in a creative and entertaining atmosphere. This approach involved an entire community in the defence of children's rights. It can be applied, at a moderate cost, in schools and colleges and within communities - the need for prior training and a campaign to promote awareness in favour of children is essential however. We hope that the vaccination campaign will continue and be taken up in other parts of the world as we believe CHILDHOOD is one of humanity's riches that we must preserve, protect and above all LOVE.