86% of Colombia’s ethnic minority children lack access to adequate education

[Judi Lynn]

86% of Colombia’s ethnic minority children lack access to adequate education
Sep 24, 2014 posted by Craig Corbett

A Colombian children’s rights group reported on Monday that recent Ministry of Education figures show that 86% of children from ethnic minority groups have no access to adequate education.

The dooming report claims that people from Indigenous groups, afro-Colombians and gypsies are not being provided with education centers for their children which can teach them in a culturally appropriate manner.

NGO PANDI reported that 10,674,609 Colombians were enrolled in public education in 2012. Only 1.9% (212,953) attended an ethno-educative center, in which education was molded to be culturally appropriate to their needs.

According to the Ministry of Culture, some 5.8 million people belong to ethnic minority groups in Colombia. Of the total population of 47 million, 10.6% are Afro-Colombian, 3.4% Indians and 0.01% Gypsies.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/86-ethnic-minority-children-access-culturally-suitable-education-colombia/

[Judi Lynn]

1. 70% of Colombia’s indigenous children are malnourished

70% of Colombia’s indigenous children are malnourished
Oct 28, 2013 posted by Peter Bolton

A study into the well-being of the children of Colombia’s ethnic minority groups has found that 70% of the country’s indigenous children are chronically malnourished and one in four children from ethnic minorities dies before the age of six due to malnutrition and lack of access to healthcare. The study by Colombia’s National Administrative Department on Statistics (DANE), published last week, also revealed that as a result of malnutrition 60% of indigenous children are born and raised underweight.

The Pandi Communications Agency, which specializes in children’s issues at DANE, said that 5.7 million people belong to Colombia’s diverse ethnic groups (Palenquero, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, Providencia, Gypsy, and indigenous). Of these, 1.4 million are indigenous Colombians, corresponding to 3.4 % of the total population.

“The humanitarian situation for ethnic groups is critical, especially in the indigenous population. Children and women have been the worst affected for a long time,” said Hernan Quintero, manager of a children’s program at the International Organization for Migrations (IOM).

Colombia’s Constitutional Court has identified 34 of the country’s 102 indigenous groups as being at risk of extinction. The Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) has identified a further 32, meaning that up to 66 groups are at risk.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/70-colombias-indigenous-children-malnourished/