Strengthening Public Policies to Protect and Empower Migrant Women in Mesoamerica

The migration of women is of particular interest in Mesoamerica, due to high numbers of young women migrating alone or with their children, as well as a high incidence of human rights violations faced by migrant women, particularly in transit countries.

At the same time, more women are migrating independently as heads of households, and migration is seen as an agent of change and development as migrant women seek to improve their living conditions and those of their families. This does not change the fact, however, that women migrants face discrimination as well as higher risks of human rights abuses than those faced by male migrants.

This project is designed to promote actions to protect and empower women migrants, by addressing conditions of vulnerability that they face during the migration cycle. The project will also aim to enhance the links between migration and development, in recognition of the fact that leadership and empowerment of migrant women contribute to the socio-economic improvement of their families and communities.

The project includes a regional assessment of existing programs and policies related to the empowerment and protection of migrant women, which will serve as a basis for developing a regional protocol for care and protection, as well as a regional forum to share experiences and lessons learned among countries of Mesoamerica.