People gather in Bogota to protest the exploitation and recruitment of children by illegal armed groups in Colombia, as child rights organizations warn of an "alarming figure." As of 2024, some 318 children have been identified as exploited or recruited by armed groups in the country, with 54 more cases already recorded in early 2025, says Adriana Velasquez, deputy director of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF). "It is deeply striking to see how their psychology is affected, how their bodies bear the scars of war," she adds. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES