Supporting abused child mothers

For almost half a century, Colombia has suffered the effects of a brutal and complex internal armed conflict. Rape and sexual violence are widely used as weapons of conflict to terrorise marginalised communities, and children who have fled the violence often continue to be at risk. Sexual violence has acute and devastating consequences. Many victims are rejected by their families and communities and, with little or no education, cannot envisage any kind of future for themselves.

COTA partner CerMujer was established in 1989 to respond to the total absence of government support services for pregnant child victims of sexual abuse - it is the only organisation of its kind in Cali and one of just two in Colombia. CerMujer runs a residential programme offering vital healthcare, emotional and educational support to pregnant girl victims and their babies.

The girls ages range from 11 to 17 years old, and around four in five are under 15. The girls predominantly come from the north of the rural Valle del Cauca area, where the conflict is active, and from Aguablanca, one of the most dangerous and impoverished areas in Cali, where many displaced families settle. Rejected by their families and communities, the girls are vulnerable to ending up alone and on the streets. CerMujer represents a life-line for these traumatised young girls who desperately need help to come to terms with having a child while still only children themselves.