2023-04-13 01:00:00
Mexico City (ICRC). – Every day armed violence generates new victims in Mexico and Central America. The human suffering associated with it has reached profound and painful magnitudes, which is why it is urgent to recognize, attend to and prevent it, said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during the presentation of its annual regional activity report.
“The pain of those searching for a loved one, of those forced to leave their homes to save their lives and the lives of their families, and of communities without access to essential services is similar to that faced by people in other parts of the world affected by armed conflict”said Olivier Dubois, head of the ICRC delegation for Mexico and Central America.
Violence in the region is an everyday reality in which the victims need to be attended immediately. At the same time it is persistent and historical: its causes are deep-seated. “In that difficult balance between the structural and the urgent, between tackling a problem that requires long-term solutions and attending to and mitigating the permanent humanitarian consequences it generates, the ICRC works in Mexico and Central America”Dubois said.
Protect migrants and internally displaced persons
The ICRC notes that in 2022 migratory flows in the region increased and reconfigured. This is reflected in the 974% increase in people who have registered their entry into Honduras, compared to 2021, according to official data reported by the Observatory of International Migration in Honduras, and in a 43% increase in migrants. in stays and migratory stations in Mexico, compared to 2021, according to official national statistics.
The number of people from Caribbean and South American countries transiting through Mexico increased and even exceeded nationals of Central American countries and in the first months of 2023 an increase in asylum applications is observed. This implies efforts on the part of the countries to know and respect the rights of these people, especially those most at risk and vulnerability.
The ICRC interviews migrants and holds a dialogue with relevant actors to learn about the main humanitarian consequences associated with violence and changes in migration policies. The information collected shows that along the way they are highly exposed to being victims of accidents, human trafficking networks, robberies, extortion, disappearances, and less access to humanitarian services.
“The strengthening of immigration controls, the implementation of immigration policies throughout the region, and misinformation expose people to seek increasingly dangerous routes to evade the control of the authorities, with often fatal consequences.”said the head of the ICRC regional delegation.
States have the primary responsibility for meeting the needs for assistance and guaranteeing the protection of the rights of migrants. However, the ICRC is aware of the challenge of guaranteeing access to their rights in a situation where there are an increasing number of people in transit through the region. The ICRC conducts confidential dialogue with the authorities in order to share observations and recommendations in order to contribute to the respect and protection of their integrity and dignity.
Likewise, internal displacement due to violence continues to be a reality in Mexico and Honduras. Many times displaced people face not only having to start from scratch, despite being displaced they still need protection and security. The ICRC supports the authorities so that they have care routes that allow people to access their rights, and helps many of them to resume their life projects.
disappearances
One of the most dramatic humanitarian consequences in Mexico and Central America is disappearance: people who disappeared in armed conflicts of the past continue to be found, migrants disappear and die en route, and people are disappeared due to violence.
“The duty of search, location and identification -in the case of people found dead- corresponds to the authorities and they are the ones who must take all the necessary measures to guarantee the rights of the disappeared persons and their families, as well as to develop public policies that prevent and address the problem”Dubois said.
“Having centralized and updated records that allow the exchange of information between institutions and countries, having effective mechanisms for families to report their cases and institutions that have human and sufficient resources to operate properly is essential in the humanitarian response”he emphasized.
The ICRC highlights in its report the efforts that countries in the region made in 2022 to recognize and address this problem, in addition to the challenges that persist. The humanitarian organization worked with the authorities to improve the technical capacities of the institutions and with the families to meet their needs and strengthen knowledge of their rights, as well as their support networks at the regional level.
Other consequences of violence: lack of access to basic services
In addition to the visible consequences in the form of displacements, deaths, and disappearances, violence generates other consequences that break with community dynamics and impede access to basic services. Although these consequences are much more difficult to calculate, in communities with the presence of armed groups there are restrictions on movement, effects on mental health, and lack of access to health services or education. This situation jeopardizes the future of many children and young people and increases the vulnerability of communities.
“We work so that people with the greatest risk and vulnerability factors in this context of insecurity are protected, assisted and that their dignity is respected. It is essential that people affected by violence are at the center of any humanitarian response”assured the head of the regional delegation.
Persons deprived of liberty
The ICRC visits people deprived of liberty in 80 countries around the world, an activity that in 2022 was also carried out in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala (in the latter it visited young people in conflict with criminal law). The findings and recommendations of these visits are shared confidentially with the authorities.
In the region, the humanitarian organization works to ensure that the rights of persons deprived of liberty are respected, including access to basic services and contact with their families, it also works with the authorities to envision different alternatives to deprivation of liberty. and restrictive regimes.
Our action in figures
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