In the rural areas this is particularly acute. In the belief that they will no longer need to make a living from the land, many men have sold and gone to work in oil construction. Women's agricultural work is affected by the diversion of water from growing crops into extraction. Many women and children have moved into shanty towns. Youth crime is increasing.
Single motherhood is very common, particularly among young women.
Single men have moved into the area in search of work. Prostitution is growing, often involving women from outside the region. Domestic violence is a serious issue, as it is in Colombia as a whole. Casanare, along with other regions in Colombia, suffers sporadic political violence, and the armed groups tend to target men, as community leaders, as victims rather than women. The MAPA environmental network which monitors the effect of oil in the area, and lobbies for more effective social responsibility, has a diverse membership - peasant farmers, teachers, youth, students, and grass roots workers operate side by side.