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December 18, 2020.- Migration in Latin American and Caribbean countries is one of the main characteristics of the region. In 2019 alone, there were more than 30 million people from these countries living in North America (26.6 million) and Europe (5 million)[1].
In fact, the United States is the main country-to-country migration corridor in the world, mostly transited by people on the move from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Peru are also countries of origin, transit and destination of migrants[2].
In particular, Mexico is the second country in the world -after India- with 12 million citizens living outside its borders, mainly in the United States[3]. Mexico is followed by Venezuela and Colombia, the main countries of origin of migrants in South America, with 5.4 and 2.9 million people respectively[4].
The specific case of Venezuela has represented a major migrant and refugee crisis, with the displacement of 1.7 million Venezuelans living in Colombia[5], and the rest in 17 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States and Europe.
On the other hand, the risks and effects associated with migrant children and adolescents have increased considerably due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, hindering their access to rights such as education, health, food and housing, affecting their normal development and exposing them to greater risks such as human trafficking, gender-based violence, among others associated with the lack of timely comprehensive protection.
Likewise, social distancing and confinement as COVID-19 containment measures further complicate the conditions for promoting and implementing dynamics of recognition and respect for different cultural expressions, generating greater challenges for social inclusion and integration.
This, coupled with a lack of understanding and empathy, has led to the violation of human rights and the impossibility of intercultural integration, causing harmful effects that are manifested in physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions, especially in the lives of children and adolescents.
However, these discriminatory and xenophobic behaviors not only affect the people in the situation, but also the receiving communities, affecting the environment and eroding the social fabric.
To combat xenophobia, the undersigned organizations launched the regional campaign #MiTierraEsTuTierra with the objective of preventing discrimination and fostering tolerance by recognizing that the particularities of each country and each migrant enrich communities rather than divide them.
Finally, on the commemoration of International Migrants Day, we call on States to comply with their obligation to respect and guarantee the human rights of all persons in their territory and under their jurisdiction, without discrimination of any kind. These are some of the recommendations:
Therefore, we invite society to join the campaign and spread it through social networks. Let’s reject intolerance and xenophobia! Let us speak out in favor of the inclusion and social integration of migrants!
Partner Organizations of Save the Children’s Civil Society Support Program in Latin America and the Caribbean
[1] International Organization for Migration (2020), World Migration Report 2020. Available at: https://publications.iom.int/books/informe-sobre-las-migraciones-en-el-mundo-2020.
[2] Idem.
[3] Idem.
[4] Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela. Available at: https://r4v.info/es/situations/platform
