Regional Protection and Migration Programme


Latin America faces the second largest forced displacement crisis in the world with 7.1 million people forcibly displaced from Venezuela, Central America, the Caribbean and other continents. 6.2 million more are displaced in their own country. Persons in human mobility need protection against gender-based violence, exploitation and exclusion. In Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, Switzerland addresses causes and consequences of displacement, providing aid, striving for integration and supporting actors to protect the most vulnerable.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
America
Andean Region
Central America
Colombia
Peru
Conflict & fragility
Governance
Humanitarian Assistance & DRR
Migration
Gender
nothemedefined
Child soldiers (CAAFG)
Public sector policy
Protection, access & security
Forced displacement (refugees, IDP, human trafficking)
Migration generally (development aspects and partnerships)
Women’s equality organisations and institutions
Sexual & gender-based violence
Emergency rehabilitation
Humanitarian efficiency
01.05.2022 - 15.11.2025
CHF  4’500’000
Background

The Americas are facing the highest figures in continental migration in the world: 26 million people migrated from Latin America towards North America. Migration grew a 72% from 2000 to 2020. The second largest migration crisis in the world occurs on the continent: forced displacement from Venezuela amounts to 7.1 million people. Colombia, Peru and Ecuador are the top three host countries with 4.5 million Venezuelans.

Latin America and the Caribbean show alarming levels of violence; the rate of homicides (17.2 per 100’000 people) is the highest recorded in the region. Regionally, around 70% of women have been victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and rates of in-family GBV are higher in Colombia (30%), Ecuador (33%) and Peru (38%) than the world average (27%). Risks are considerably higher for women, girls and LGBTIQ+ persons in mobility. In Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, figures of internal displacement due to conflict and violence, amount to 5.3 million. Armed actors from Colombia and Venezuela are increasingly active in transnational organised crime and have gained unprecedented geographic reach, with Venezuelan networks of trafficking in persons active down to Chile. Political turmoil regularly affects Ecuador and Peru.

Objectives Vulnerable and at-risk persons in human mobility facing protection risks enjoy their fundamental rights.
Target groups

Direct beneficiaries:

Female: 22’360

Male: 13’160

Indirect beneficiaries:

36’600 persons (through operational protection work by implementing partners)

753’200 persons (through more protective public policies promoted by technical support of Switzerland) 

Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1)    Persons in human mobility facing immediate protection risks reduce their vulnerability and increase their resilience through enhanced access to protection services.

Outcome 2)    Actors address protection risks through innovations which reduce vulnerable and at-risk persons in human mobility’s vulnerability and increase their resilience.

Outcome 3)    Actors better reduce vulnerability and increase resilience of vulnerable and at-risk persons in human mobility through dissemination of good protection practices.

Outcome 4)    Duty-bearers’ public policies better fulfil rights of vulnerable and at-risk persons in human mobility.

Results

Expected results:  

1.1)    Access to multisectoral protection services has been improved.

1.2)    Local capacities for protection response have been strengthened.

2.1)    Innovation initiatives from private, public and/or civil society actors have been supported.

3.1)    SDC implements knowledge management practices.

3.2)    Swiss proposals enrich dialogue on public protection policies in each country.

4.1)    Swiss proposals enrich regional dialogue on public protection policies


Results from previous phases:  

-    Number of migrants and forcibly displaced persons experiencing violence, exploitation and abuse who access protection/rehabilitation services (national and regional);

-    Baseline (2017-2021): 134.231 persons with basic needs attended by humanitarian assistance; 

-    Number of persons subjected to different forms of sexual and gender-based violence having received required (medical, and/or psychosocial, and/or legal) support; Baseline (2017-2021): 4.741 persons whose capacity were strengthened to prevent risks of gender-based violence; 

-    Number of migrants and forcibly displaced persons who gained access to local health, education and other social services; Baseline (2017-2021): 2.681.503 persons.

 

(figures for Colombia, Ecuador, Peru)

 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
Private sector
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Other international or foreign NGO North
  • Other Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Foreign private sector North
  • Foreign private sector South/East
  • Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
  • United Nations Children’s Fund
  • United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs
  • United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women


Other partners
UN Women; Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS); various
Coordination with other projects and actors

Humanitarian and migration actors:

Community Based Organizations, local organizations, NGOs, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and United Nations Resident Coordinator’s offices (RCO), Regional and national platforms Response for Venezuelans (R4V), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

State migration and cooperation agencies: 

COL: Agencia presidencial de cooperación, Migración, Defensoría del pueblo, alcaldías // PER: Defensoría del pueblo, Unidad de protección especial, Superintendencia de migración, alcaldías // ECU: Cancillería, Vice-Ministerio de Movilidad humana, alcaldías.

Swiss actors: Swiss Representation in Latin America and their migration/protection projects or programmes, Swiss NGOs in protection/migration.

Donors: US Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, ECHO, Spanish cooperation (AECID), Interamerican Development Bank (IDB), Canada, Sweden, German cooperation (GiZ).

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    4’500’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’611’240
Project phases Phase 1 01.05.2022 - 15.11.2025   (Current phase)