The rise in violence directed towards migrants transiting through Mexico has contributed to creating new routes from the southern border and extending to the USA, making this one of the more dangerous migration corridors in the world. The implementation of policies and governmental programs in Mexico, to address this situation, such as the Southern Border Program (SBP), has also generated new challenges both for migrants and for governmental institutions.
The SBP has now resulted in migrants seeking out new routes and transit through unfamiliar areas, exposing themselves to different types of violence and abuse (particularly women and children at risk of sexual exploitation, early motherhood, early marriage and child labour). At times, when migrants opt to remain for an extended period in communities along the migration corridor (whether along the southern or northern border), they are marginalized and without access to basic care or services. The concentration of vulnerable migrants in host communities has a high impact on social cohesion at the community level between local populations and migrants, fostering discriminatory and xenophobic practices and beliefs.
This project aims to:
1) Strengthen capacities of state government institutions to develop strategies and policies according to the needs of migrants.
2) Increase the level of coordination between and amongst civil society organizations and government institutions to protect migrants.