“Somos Colmena” emerges as a virtual informational community for migrants in Mesoamerica
Since 2016, the Regional Migration Program: Mesoamerica- The Caribbean has used “Informarte en Movimiento” [Inform Yourself on the Move], a virtual community on Facebook, as a platform for informing and raising awareness among migrants in the region about the risks of irregular migration (such as human trafficking), regular migration pathways, the integration of migrants, and more. In order to improve its informational work and the versatility of its brand, the Informarte en Movimiento community will become “Somos Colmena” [We Are a Hive].
IOM backs communication for development as a tool to promote regular migration in Mexico and Central America.
Communication for development (C4D) is a methodology that seeks to generate participatory processes through which local actors can find solutions to promote behavioral changes that bring about social change. IOM has used C4D with great success in other regions, such as Southeast Asia, with the project IOM X. In this case, the “IOM X Roadshow” model will be utilized in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico.
Migrant information hubs in Costa Rica strengthened with the support of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives
Upala, Costa Rica. Since October 2018, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has worked in conjunction with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) with the goal of improving the services offered by the migrant information hub in the Municipality of Upala, and identifying strategic synergies with civil society in the area.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic begins consultations for the creation of the National Action Plan on Migration
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), held two meetings with around 30 of the country’s consuls in various cities in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, with the objective of introducing the initial consultation process for the creation of the National Action Plan for Migration - PLANAMI.
IOM builds capacities for monitoring migration flows in Mexico and Guatemala
The displacement tracking matrix (DTM) is a system that IOM uses at the global level to track and monitor displacement and population mobility. This methodology is designed to capture, process, and disseminate information regularly and systematically in order to enable better preparation for and response to migration flows in different parts of the world.
IOM releases Online Course on Human Trafficking for Consular Staff
- The course is available in Spanish on IOM learning platform E-Campus. It is free and provides a certificate of achievement upon completion.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has developed a new virtual course on human trafficking, based on the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM)’s “Human Trafficking Manual for Consulates and Ministries and Secretariats of Foreign Affairs of Central America and Mexico”.
IOM launches E-Campus: Online Learning Platform on Migration
- PAM, IOM Regional Virtual Learning Platform on Migration will cease to function on February 28, 2019. The new and improved site, E-Campus, is already available. Visit ecampus.iom.int
E-Campus is now IOM's global online migration learning platform. Developed in Moodle, it unites ideal features for self-learning and allows courses to be updated constantly.
Costa Rica and Panama “migrate toward respect and tolerance” with Binational Fair in Paso Canoas
- Over 100 people participated in the Binational Fair, which was held to provide information about safety measures, health and wellbeing, and migration.
As part of International Migrants Day on December 18, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) participated in the Sixth Binational Migrants Fair (Costa Rica-Panama) in the border area of Paso Canoas. The fair was held December 18 and 19.
Migrating Towards Respect: migrants educational fair in Guatuso, Costa Rica
Guatuso, Costa Rica. On Saturday October 20, the fair "Migrating Towards Respect" was held in San Rafael de Guatuso. It used the hashtag #NadieEsExtraño (No one is a stranger) to create a cultural space for promoting the inclusion of migrants in the area. The activity is an initiative of the Commission for Migration Flows of the Republic of Costa Rica, which intends to hold other similar fairs in 13 cantons in the country.
Governments in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean Meet to Launch New Phase of Regional Migration Program
San Jose, Costa Rica. The annual coordination meeting of the IOM Regional Migration Program: Mesoamerica-Caribbean was held on October 22-24. The objective of this Program is to promote migration governance in order to reduce irregular migration flows, the vulnerability of migrants to human trafficking, and migrant smuggling.