With contributions by ISIM Professors Katharine Donato and Elizabeth Ferris, this report highlights the urgency for comprehensive and coordinated regional responses to address the humanitarian protection needs of migrants in North and Central America.
The report highlights the urgency for comprehensive and coordinated regional responses supported by all countries in North and Central America to address the humanitarian protection needs of migrants in the region.
The report outlines recommendations for concrete actions that can be taken immediately, even as efforts continue in the region to address the deeper and systemic causes of migration.
In the report, the Task Force calls for:
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Protection of women, children and other groups at greatest risk in Central America and Mexico. Given the high levels of threats against women and children, we call for the development of a Central American women’s consortium to take the lead in developing strategies and implementing programs to support women and children. We call on governments and civil society to take additional actions to protect women and children, including the immediate deployment of regional observer missions on child protection.
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Greater Attention to Internal Displacement. While cross-border migrants receive considerable attention, internally displaced persons (IDPs) are almost invisible and we call on governments in the region to develop and implement policies to protect and support IDPs and on international actors to protect and support civil society organizations working with IDPs and other victims of violence.
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Strengthening asylum laws and capacity throughout the region. We call on all governments in the region to review and update their laws and regulations on asylum and to support those offices with necessary staffing and funding. We urge the US and Canadian governments to immediately make exceptions to existing COVID-related policies in order for asylum-seekers to enter their territories. Refugee-led and civil society organizations must be included in policy-making processes on asylum.
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Protecting Migrants in Transit. Given the danger of the journeys, we call on governments of all countries through which migrants transit to take every possible step to ensure their safety (including access to COVID-19 vaccines) and urge continued support of civil society efforts to protect migrants en route.