Medellin program wins award for reducing crime and Youth recruitment
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The Medellin Mayor’s Office won the Award for Crime Reduction and Youth Opportunity at a gala in Washington, D.C. to recognize the Parceros program.
This initiative, run by the Secretariat of Security and Coexistence, works to prevent children, young people, and women in Colombia from joining criminal gangs. The city of Medellin faces a high concentration of criminal groups, with approximately 1,000 young people aged 14 to 28 joining these groups every year.
The Parceros program provides life skills training, psychosocial support, and access to education and jobs to offer legal alternatives to gang life. Since 2024, the program served 12,481 young people, resulting in thousands of graduates and hundreds of new jobs or scholarships. The city administration also expanded the initiative to include Parceritos for children and Parceritas for girls aged 10 to 15 to prevent early recruitment and sexual exploitation.
Mayor Federico Gutierrez stated that the program aims to provide a dignified life plan for those in vulnerable circumstances. The city’s impact assessment showed that participants saw a 23% decrease in criminal behavior and a 15% increase in formal employment. The administration plans to reach 15,000 minors and women during its four-year term to ensure that opportunities outweigh fear for the community.
