Strengthening Protection of Unaccompanied Minor Migrants Travelling Through the Central American Region

Migration of unaccompanied minors is a growing phenomenon in the Central American region, with adverse consequences; children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to abuse and all kinds of exploitation at every step of their journey, the effects of which can constitute long-term obstacles to their proper integration into society. There is however a lack of reliable information to assist in the formulation of sound and effective intervention plans, as well as for the elaboration of corresponding policies and legislative frameworks to provide proper protection. This project intends to address the issue through two different but complementary strategies: (a) sound and in-depth research to map the scope of the problem and provision of concrete recommendations to address the problem in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and southern Mexico and, (b) share the results of the research, at two levels: with government officials and NGOs at the national level; and with the members of the Regional Network of Civil Society Organizations for Migration (RROCM), at the regional level.