Save the Children: Families / Tv

Girls, boys, and adolescents have the right to a safe life in their home, school, and community. In Mexico, there is a systematic violation of their right to protection, especially for those living in poverty. Thousands of them are recruited by organized crime.
According to studies conducted by the National Citizen Observatory and Redim in 2020, the number of affected children and adolescents ranges from 100,000 to 200,000. These young people are trapped in criminal networks, stripped of their innocence, and forced to participate in illicit activities that undermine their future.
The recruitment strategy of criminal groups involves replacing the role of the family, offering these young people what many humble families cannot provide: time, money, attention, and a rapid growth in the world of crime.
Through three powerful images, "Families" shows how criminal groups fill the void left by the absence of a traditional family. Whether playing soccer, watching a movie, or learning to drive, these everyday activities become recruitment and control tools for criminals. Each image in this photographic campaign captures the familiar treatment that criminal groups provide to young people, while recruiting and molding them as hitmen or criminals.
However, this campaign not only aims to expose reality but also to inspire change. It calls us to action to remove teenagers from this cycle of violence and offer them a path to a safer and more promising future. Through Save The Children, only by helping can we contribute to providing safe spaces where they can grow free from criminal influence and reach their full potential.