Medellin youth experiences before, during and after belonging to an illegal armed group, 2005

Résumé 0

"A better understanding of the expe-riences of young people before, during and after belonging to an illegal armed group (IAG) can provide information to promote their reintegra-tion into urban settings in Colombia and to help prevent violence. A qualitative study with a her-meneutic historical approach was performed to examine these experiences from the perspective of direct or indirect participants in the armed con-flict. Fifty individuals aged 14-24 years (7 women and 43 men) with low socioeconomic status from Medellín were interviewed; 26 of them had a his-tory of direct experience with IAGs. What stands out in their stories are descriptions of obstacles to progress in their lives; lives marked by stigma, poverty, violence and inequality; the differences of opinion among these young people regarding whether to belong to these illegal groups; how be-coming an active member of an IAG creates both an opportunity for the present and an additional obstacle for the future, which adds complexity to the risk behaviors they assume; and how the rein-tegration process offers new expectations regard-ing access to educational and employment oppor-tunities and social recognition. All of these factors point to the need for not only a comprehensive reintegration process but for more inclusive and equitable social policies, in this case for children and young people."