[Forced displacement, childhood and adolescence: scenarios regarding socioeconomic stability].

OBJECTIVE Describing and analysing socio-economic stabilisation scenarios for populations which have been forcibly displaced paying special attention to the situation of children and adolescents. METHOD The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) multi-criteria decision-making method developed by Professor Thomas Saaty was used through expert workshops, involving researchers, leaders of NGOs and displaced communities living in the city of Bucaramanga. RESULTS The partial result of this research showed that some elderly adults from forcibly displaced communities preferred to adapt themselves to urban centres, rather than return to their places of origin, particularly when it came to protecting younger children and dealing with their welfare. The method's consistency index and consistency ratio came within the expected parameters. CONCLUSION Government-promoted social and economic stabilisation programmes must be rethought regarding forcibly displaced populations, particularly when situations are envisaged involving the welfare of children and adolescents.