The Medellin Mayor’s Office, which works to restore and maintain security in that city, the second most important in Colombia, is clear: 43% of the country’s criminal groups operate actively in the capital of Antioquia, and these gangs (which have around 6,000 members and can reach up to 12,000 when those who serve them indirectly are included) have turned violence into a lucrative activity for those who take advantage of people’s vulnerability.
According to the district administration, around 1,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 28 join the ranks of these armed groups every year. Hundreds of women trapped in prostitution and sexual exploitation networks are also part of this reality.
However, in response to this situation, Parceros was created, a program run by the Secretariat of Security and Coexistence that seeks to prevent children, young people, and women from being recruited by criminal structures. Its goal is to wrest the lives of young people away from gangs and offer real alternatives for building a dignified life plan within the law.
Taking Young People Away From Criminals
Since 2024, the program has served a total of 12,481 young people, of whom 9,211 have graduated, 1,318 have found employment, 128 have received scholarships, 606 have received entrepreneurship training, and 4,840 have been brought closer to education through courses and other types of training. It has just received a new international recognition for crime prevention and the creation of opportunities.
The award is the Award for Crime Reduction and Youth Opportunity, presented by the Inter-American Dialogue during the 2026 Leadership for the Americas Awards gala, held in Washington, D.C., at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS). Upon receiving the award, Medellin Mayor Federico Gutierrez said: “We are taking young people away from criminals.”
The Parceros program has already received other international distinctions, such as the 2025 award for Best Project in Crime Prevention, presented during the 17th International Mission of Safe Cities in Granollers, Spain, and the May 2026 Educating Cities Award, promoted by the International Association of Educating Cities, for its work with young people in vulnerable circumstances and at risk of becoming involved with criminal structures.
“Since 2024, we have served more than 12,400 parceros. Many of them are already studying, working, and building their life plans within the law,” Gutierrez said at the event in Washington. “This award belongs to them, our parceros, and to all of Medellin.”
Gutierrez also explained that the administration has broadened Parceros’ approach to intervene at earlier ages and assist women in vulnerable circumstances.
Program Expanded to Include Children
“When we conducted a survey in educational institutions, we found that this phenomenon, this culture of illegality, still persists, with some children saying they want to be the leaders of the gang or criminal structure in their neighborhood,” he said, explaining that this prompted the creation of Parceritos, an initiative aimed at children.
He also referred to Parceritas, a strategy launched in 2026 for girls between the ages of 10 and 15, aimed at preventing their recruitment and exposure to situations of sexual exploitation. According to the Mayor’s Office, the program seeks to provide support and alternatives for girls and adolescents in at-risk circumstances.
Gutierrez took the opportunity to reaffirm that this preventive work must continue beyond changes in government and argued that it is necessary to keep emphasizing democratic values and alternatives to the mafia culture. For the mayor, the international recognition represents support for the continuity of these initiatives.
Through life skills training, access to educational and employment opportunities, and psychosocial support, thousands of children and young people, women, and people deprived of their liberty have found a new opportunity to give new meaning to their lives and distance themselves from illegality. The goal for the four-year term is ambitious: to reach 15,000 minors and women, working toward a future in which opportunities outweigh fear.
The impact assessment presented by the District also reported results across various indicators. For example, 61.6% of participants improved their emotional regulation, criminal behavior decreased by 23%, and formal employment increased by 15% among participants. In addition, a 7% reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression was recorded, along with a 9% increase in the intention to continue studying.
The name Parceros was adopted in 2018 in reference to Medellin slang, in which the word parcero refers to a trusted friend who becomes a source of support. Based on this word, the professionals who accompany participants were named Parceros, with the aim of giving them the opportunity to have someone they could trust. After that, the word Parceros became so meaningful that the participants themselves also began calling one another parceros.