Building Bridges: Creating Peaceful and Inclusive Communities in Central America

11 April?2023?

“I left Honduras 15 years ago, looking for the American dream, because of poverty. It was a very difficult journey, because the coyote (smuggler) that was going to take us to the United States stole all the money we carried. After that, we came to Esquipulas to look for work to survive,” says Iris, a migrant from Honduras.

^{Caption: Iris, a migrant from Honduras now settled in?Esquipulas.}

Forced to settle in Esquipulas, a municipality in Guatemala, Iris is just one of many Central Americans who have migrated in search of better opportunities and safety.? Esquipulas, which is situated on a major migratory route 10 kilometers from the Guatemalan-Honduran border, has seen an alarming surge in human mobility, including irregular migration, over the past decade. The Central America-4 Free Mobility Agreement, signed by the Governments of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua in 2006, allows for free travel between these countries. One unintended result is that, Esquipulas has become a hub for migrants traveling to North America. Communities along the migratory routes struggle to provide basic services and support for both migrants and those who return, who are often endangered by criminal groups that profit from human trafficking. This puts a strain on community cohesion and can lead to conflict, creating challenges that require local institutions to work together to reintegrate migrants in a peaceful manner.

?The Trinational Project, implemented by UNHCR, UNDP and IOM and financed by the Peacebuilding Fund, has been paving the way for a more dignified, peaceful and inclusive human mobility experience in the northern region of Central America since 2021. By working alongside the governments of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, the project enhances institutional capacities and supports local authorities and organizations by establishing better coordination and knowledge-sharing mechanisms between institutions and civil society groups in the three countries.

The peacebuilding initiative’s comprehensive strategy includes trinational, national, and local efforts to address issues such as forced displacement, irregular migration, and the sustainable reintegration of migrants. By prioritizing vulnerable populations and improving assistance and protection mechanisms, as well as integration within host communities, the project helps to reduce violence and manage conflicts while fostering a sense of belonging and unity.

Damaris Moscoso, Coordinator of the Municipal Directorate for Women in Esquipulas, said, “The challenge we face as the Municipality of Esquipulas to promote the reintegration of the migrant population is basically the budget. The [national] budget does not allow us to invest in foreign population living in our territory.”

^{Caption:?Damaris Moscoso, Coordinator of the Municipal Directorate for Women in Esquipulas.}

UNHCR, UNDP, and IOM have collaborated to strengthen the Esquipulas Migrant and Refugee Protection Roundtable, a multi-stakeholder space led by the Municipality that coordinates actions between the municipality, national ministries, civil society, and donors. This space is essential to avoid duplication of efforts, minimize wastage of resources and mitigate unintended negative effects and ensure adherence to “do no harm” principles. Through municipal policies, multi-stakeholder dialogue spaces, and public-private partnerships, the project facilitates integration into economic and social networks for people affected by human mobility. Local initiatives in the targeted municipalities of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala have benefitted over 150 returned migrants, of which more than 60% are women. These actions have promoted their dignity and facilitated their inclusion in the local social networks.

Among the activities supported by the project in Esquipulas, a free vocational training program on aesthetician practices including makeup and acrylic nails, was offered to everyone including migrants. 46 women and 1 man completed the course, including five individuals from Honduras. For the first time ever, foreign students could take a technical training course, and all they needed was to show their ID. The training program aimed to help people who have had trouble finding work and to reduce unfair treatment based on things like gender, nationality, and immigration status.

The Municipality of Esquipulas and the Municipal Training Center of the Ministry of Education have formed a partnership to continue offering inclusive technical training courses in 2023 with government funding. By including course costs in government budgets, this partnership offers a sustainable strategy that builds on the project's initial support for vocational courses. This strategy will benefit both local populations and migrants by creating safe spaces for them to learn together and build trust.

^{Caption: "I feel that the course changed me because now I have new opportunities. It helped me open my nail salon," says Iris.}

Iris accomplished her dream of starting her own business with the help of the course. “Before the course, I was dedicated to my home and children. I was somewhat frustrated because I felt that I had to teach my children to be independent and to feel that we’re valuable. I feel that the course changed me because now I have new opportunities. It helped me open my nail salon. Little by little, I have more confidence to work and charge for my work. With that income I help my family and manage to buy the other things I need for my nail salon.”

Miriam, another Honduran student who took the course, has expanded the services she provides at her beauty salon. She said, “I think it's good that these opportunities exist because there are almost no opportunities for foreigners. It's hard to find a job as people ask for a background check and letters of recommendation. Sometimes you can't have all that paperwork, but with your own business, you are your own boss. Once you start a business, you already have an income.”

These courses have not only improved access to job opportunities and entrepreneurship, but also helped integrate the migrant population into the community. The project created spaces for locals and foreigners to interact, share their stories, and build social bonds. Understanding and tolerance of others increased, while discrimination and stigmas against migrants diminished.

“Sharing with classmates of other nationalities, such as Hondurans, was an experience that opened doors because here in Esquipulas there are many people who refer to migrants in a negative way such as when migrants come there’s a lot of robberies and kidnapping etc. But we need to coexist with other people to understand their reality and avoid judging them by their skin color or where they come from” said Cristina Vásquez, a Guatemalan student.

The inclusion and integration of migrants had a positive impact on host communities, including increased cultural diversity, socio-political participation, and economic development.

Damaris Moscoso, Coordinator of the Municipal Directorate for Women in Esquipulas, said “It’s important that the Municipality of Esquipulas works together with all the institutions present in the area, to include the migrant population in opportunities for education, training, and employment. If the population is educated and skilled, we will help reduce levels of violence or discrimination towards the migrant population and promote a culture of peace as we are raising the local population’s awareness of the fundamental role of migrants in our municipality’s development.”

Through 10 multi-stakeholder platforms, coordination has been enhanced between government institutions and civil society organizations across three countries. This has strengthened the focus on the needs of vulnerable populations affected by human mobility. Seven initiatives, including joint care protocols, have been approved.

Two regulatory and legislative reforms have been approved in Honduras and El Salvador, and one in Guatemala, which includes the prevention of forced displacement and the protection of victims of forced displacement. These new frameworks will contribute to institutional changes, enabling a comprehensive and articulated approach to addressing the needs of people in mobility and promoting their social and economic integration.

The three governments are working together more effectively by sharing information and analysis to identify joint strategies. As a result, they have identified seven specific areas for coordination, including the sustainable reintegration of returned migrants, providing assistance to those with protection needs, victims of human trafficking, and migrant smuggling.

The ‘Hearts in Movement’ communications campaign has successfully promoted respect for the dignity and human rights of those affected by human mobility across the three countries. The campaign aims to counteract discrimination, xenophobia, stigma, and exclusion faced by these populations. It has been adopted at the local level and has reinforced solidarity and empathy between host communities, migrants and refugees in the region, leading to improved social harmony and integration.

Taking the vocational course has inspired Iris to think about her future. She said, “My dream, perhaps in about five years, is to set up my academy, to help people who, like me, want to start a business. For my family, my dreams are to teach my children that we can achieve anything we set out to do and to be good people.”

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