Protection & Well-being of Displaced Children (Colombia)

3 units

Colombia's decades of conflict have led to one of the world's largest contexts of internal displacement in known history. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2018) figures show that Colombia is currently home to 5,761,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). The government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a peace agreement in 2016; however, violence persists between remaining armed groups. Further, due to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, 1.2 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees have recently crossed the border into Colombia. Although the government of Colombia has extended extraordinary support to Venezuelans, conditions remain dire for many. This course is grounded in the Global Classroom concept of distributed learning that mobilizes the power of a diverse set of learners to collectively explore the multifaceted challenges associated with organized efforts to protect children and promote their well-being in humanitarian settings. It will emphasize global standards and best practices; the value of local, culturally grounded voices/experiences; collaborative workspaces and dialogues; and locally informed investigations and assignments. The course format will include classroom lectures, discussion seminars, site visits, and data collection in Colombia.