GENERALBACKGROUND

The Joint IDP Profiling Service – JIPS-received a requestto support the operation in Central America during 2013/14, which was prioritized by JIPS inter-agency Steering Committee[1].The request is led by UNHCRRegional Office for Central America (based in Panama), in close coordination with UN System and international organizations (UNDP, OHCHR, IOM, ICRC), government authorities (in particular Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Migration Boards), regional organisations (Central American Integration System – SICA),human rights institutions (Ministry, Ombudsman Offices), universities and research centres (UNAH, IUDPAS, UCA),and implementing and operational partners (CIPRODEH, Congregation of Scalabrinian Sisters, Pastoral de Movilidad Humana). These partners are collaborating to implementing a strategy to address the humanitarian impact of crime and violence in Central America,and JIPS has been asked specifically to support and coordinate the information gathering activitiesof such strategy, which has as main goal to assess the magnitude, patterns and trends of displacement generated by transnational organized crime (TOC) and other situations of violence (OSV) in the Northern Triangle of Central America –NTCA (Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala).It was agreed that JIPS would undertake a preparatory field mission to review existing information sources, discuss with relevant stakeholders and make subsequent recommendations, with a focus on the planning and design of a snapshot profiling exercise in Honduras. This report presents a summary of the mission objectives, activities and recommendations, as well as covering some activities supported remotely by the Service after the mission.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the JIPS mission were identified in the agreed TORs (Annex 1: JIPS’Preparatory Missionto Honduras - Terms of Reference).Overall, they concern support and guidance for the initial phases of profiling activities in NTCA (with a focus on Honduras), including a review of existing/available information, engagement with relevant stakeholders about participation in the collaborative profiling process, and the development of recommendations for theplanning and design of a snapshot profiling exercise in Honduras to be implemented during 2014.

ACTIVIITIES

During the mission, JIPSengaged with different stakeholders in a series of strategic and information sharing meetings, as well as in-depth discussions and debriefing with requesting partners.Stakeholders met includedcivil society organizations(CIPRODEH, Hermanas Scalabrinianas), government agencies (Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, of Justice and Human Rights, and Direction for International Migration), Ombudsman office, local researchers and academic institutions (IUDPAS, UNAH), national statistical office (INE), and UN and other international agencies (UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, IOM, BID, OPS).A full mission schedule is attached as an annex to this report(Annex 2: JIPS’Honduras Mission Schedule). After the mission, JIPS has continued to provide remote support to partners, particularly in terms of technical advice related to the review of available information as well as coordination with other stakeholders who are planning to conduct activities in the region.

KEY OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In accordance to the mission objectives and activities, observations and recommendations focus on the initial phases of the planned profiling process in the region, in particular for Honduras (see diagram for an overview of recommended profiling steps). For the purposes of this report, these have been summarized in four sections:

  • Elements indicating the need for profiling and outlined objectives
  • Coordination/collaboration requirements and mechanisms for the profiling process to have the greatest impact
  • Guidance for implementing a secondary data review and analysis to inform an initial phase
  • Desirability and possibilities for primary data collection activities in subsequent phases

Need for profiling and outlined objectives

JIPS mission to Honduras corroborated the need for a profiling of the forced displacement situation that affects the country and in general,the region.As identified already by partners, there is accumulating evidence pointing towards a significant -though under researched- humanitarian impact of the increasing scale of crime and violence in the region, particularly in relation to population movements.[2]However, the available evidence has not been systematically analysed and validated in a way that allows an identification of its usefulness and limitations; and the increasing reports or knowledge of specific cases of internal displacement are not being systematically collected or compiled in comprehensive manner.The need for a profiling of forced displacement situation in the region (particularly in Honduras,where the mission focused) was also evident in the strong desireto embark and/or supportinformation gathering activities expressed by most of stakeholders met during the mission.

Therefore, a comprehensive profiling exercise to better understand and reach consensus on the situation of forced displacement in the country/region it is highly recommended. As will be further explained, the design of such profiling would benefit from a phased approach, with an initial phase (already started by partners) focused on a full review and analysis of the secondary data available in relation to population movements within and from the countries in the region (see ‘Secondary data review’ section below). The need for primary data collection activities in subsequent phases would then be informed and shaped by the findings of the initial review, complemented by an assessment of the desirability and feasibility of implementing such activities (see ‘Primary data collection’ section below).

Requesting partners in the region have already identified main objectives behind planned information gathering activities related to forced displacement in the region, including:

  • Assess the magnitude, patterns and trends of new displacement movements in Central America due to TOC and OSV
  • Raise awareness on new displacement patterns and trends, in order to prevent it, protect and assist displaced persons
  • Enhance the international protection of asylum seekers, refugees and other persons of concern who are escaping from TOC and OSV

Taking these outlined objectives as starting points for the design of a comprehensive profiling, a first recommendationfrom JIPS correspond to the need to further discuss them and reach a consensus within the wider group of stakeholders that could participate from the process (see ‘Coordination and collaboration for profiling’ section below).Moreover, it would be advisable to flesh out the specific objectives from the different phases proposed and how they would be linked to each other. Some preliminary suggestions from JIPS in relation to specific objectives for the initial phase are the following:

  • To assess the value and limitations of available secondary information to obtain an assessmentor approximation of the magnitude, patterns and trends of new displacement movements in Central America due to TOC and OSV
  • To identify information gaps and inform the need and development of a follow-up comprehensive primary data collection exercise in 2014
  • To identify and map geographical areas where forced displacement is more prevalent, which could be the target of follow-up data collection activities

Collaboration and coordination for profiling

Collaboration and coordination is crucial for effective profiling in situations of forced displacement. It is important, not only to benefit from the different perspectives and expertise of various stakeholders, but also to secure access to the populations, consensus on findings and facilitate a coordinated and effective response. In this regard, the JIPS mission observed the strong cooperation partnerships established at regional level with SICA (in the framework of Central America Security Strategy) and at national level with the Government of Honduras (leading to the creation of an Inter-institutional Commission for the Protection of Persons Displaced by Violence).These scenarios lend themselves as ideal platforms to discuss and agreed the objectives of information gathering activities and ensuring widespread buy-in of the results, becoming and potentially effective mechanismto link evidence and policy. The Commission in particular (which brings together government and state institutions, local authorities, civil society organizations, academic institutions and international agencies) has already highlighted the need to promote research and capacity building processes in order to raise awareness about the situation and identify protection needs.

Building upon these significant efforts, JIPS recommends on one handreaching-out more strongly to stakeholders at local or municipal level, whose involvement will be key to build consensus,facilitate implementation of data collection activities, and ensure an effective use of the results for the design of public policies at all levels,building capacityof local actors to assume the lead in regard to protection of those forcedly displaced. JIPS also recommends that in addition to the policy-oriented discussions facilitated by the above mentioned spaces, efforts are put in place to form a dedicated technical working groupwhere methodologies, tools and analysis of results can be discussed. In addition to the stakeholders already involved at policy/protection-oriented level, participation from organizations and experts with technical and operational knowledge will be fundamental. In the case of Honduras, these would include: national institute of statistics (INE), university research centres (IUDPAS, IIES), migration experts in the region, technical focal points from the members of REDLAC (Regional Emergency & Disasters Group) and other national, regional and international organizations who have implemented, or are currently planning to implement, related data collectionactivities (FLACSO, COLEF, CIDEHUM, NRC, OCHA, among others).

An effective profiling process also relies in ensuring coordination synergies with related activities, to take advantage of synergies and complementarities and avoid duplications, particularly when resources are scarce. During JIPS mission in Honduras,almost all stakeholders met expressed interest in this direction, particularly with regards to the usefulness of mainstreaming the identification of forced displacement into different population data collection activities. To facilitate such collaborations, JIPS supported the development of a simple module to identify migration and forced displacement in demographic surveys, that has already been shared with some partners with the goal of increasing the evidence base in a comparable way (Annex 3: Draft Module for Demographic Surveys). This is only a draft that will need to be discussed and refined by partners in the country/region.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that following the field mission JIPS has been also engaged in discussions with stakeholders at global level in order to share some of the main observations and recommendations from the mission, discuss future activities in the region that will be supported from related humanitarian/information management organizations, and identify potential mechanisms for coordination and complementarity among them (see Annex 4: Mapping of Data Collection Activities and Possibilities for Collaboration/Coordination, drafted jointly with ACAPS and IDMC). The main recommendation from such technical discussions is that all activities will benefit from a comprehensive review of available data and engagement with relevant key stakeholders. Due to the significantly overlapping objectives (at least for the secondary data review part), it would be valuable to collaborate on this activity to make the most efficient use of resources, expand coverage and enhance consensus-building on the findings. This would result in one comprehensive secondary data review satisfying the different objectives outlined above.The coordination of these approach could be supervise by technical working groups established both at regional and headquarters level.

Secondary data review and analysis

The mission observed that requesting partnershad already started information gathering activities aiming at obtaining a ‘first’diagnosis of the situation[3]. Despite a recognized lack of specific data that could allow a comprehensive and reliable assessment, efforts have been concentrated into developing a systematic and comparable analysis of available information systemsor sources related to mobility, violence and insecurity in each country. This revision is expected to allow an understanding and quantification of the main characteristics of displacement, focusing mainly on the following aspects: mapping of most affected areas within each country;magnitude, trends and patterns of displacement; profiles at risk and main protection needs identified. The recommendation emerging from the JIPS mission, based on previous profiling experiences, is to framethese activities as asecondary data review and analysis that constitutes the first phase of the profiling process. The advantage would be to see the review not only as a tool to obtain a first set of results or findings, but also as an opportunity to assess the quality and reliability of existing available information, identifying its limitations and the remaining information gaps that would need to be filled through further data collection efforts.

One of the main sources of information for the review is the commissioned studies about characterization of the population returned to Central America from the US and Mexico in recent years. These studies rely on three main sources: i) an analysis of the official statistics of such population, based on information collected upon arrival by the respective migratory authorities which includes questions about the original cause of migration; ii) a comparative analysis with other available statistical databases and indicators related to violence and/or development, to assess the relation between displacement patterns and such indicators; iii) qualitative interviews with a selected sample of returnees to obtain complementary information, particularly in relation to profiles at risk and protection needs. JIPS has been providing remote support and guidance during the development of these diagnoses, including comments to qualitative data collection questionnaires (Annex 5: Comments to Questionnaire and Codebook of Returnee Study in Honduras); as well as input into the development of reporting and tabulation plans for all the studies (Annex 6: Revised Reporting and Analysis Plan for Returnee Studies).

For the particular case of Honduras, partners also identified some additional information sources related to internal migration and displacement patterns, as well as violence and insecurity indicators or databases, that could complement the statistics from external migration. These include sources like INE’s Permanent Household Survey (EPH), conducted at least once per year on a representative sample of household in the country, and with a module on internal migration that includes a question on causes of mobility, with insecurity being one of the answer options. Others refer to information collected by human rights organizations, including the Ombudsman office, in relation to human rights violations events (with internal displacement increasingly being reported to such organizations as individuals or families seek support). Here, JIPS support focused on discussions with different actors to understand the scope of available information systems and data sharing possibilities, resulting in the development of several information requests that have been shared with respective actors (Annex 7: Requests for Secondary Information Sources); as well as to provide support to the operation for the identification of appropriate local researchers that could be in charge of compiling and analysing the information requested (Annex 8: TOR for National Consultant).

Primary data collectiondesirability and feasibility

As mentioned before, JIPS mission found evidence of a clear need and stakeholders’ desire for reliable, updated and comprehensive information to better understand and reach consensus on the situation of forced displacement in the region. In the first phase activities will be centred on the secondary data review and analysis outlined above, which is expected also to identify limitations and gaps of existing information to inform follow-up primary data collection activities. To facilitate this process, JIPS recommend to partners to organize an inter-agency workshop to present and analyse the findings from the secondary data review in a consultative manner, as well as to reach consensus in relation to the follow-up activities needed. JIPS agreed to engage in a second field supportearlier in 2014 to facilitate such workshop based on previous experiences.

Now, from the observations and information analysed during the mission, the need for primary data collection to complement and fill the gaps identified during the initial secondary data is highly likely.This is based on the identification of key challenges to obtain a comprehensive picture of the forced displacement situation in the region, which will be difficult to address through the revision of existing information. The main ones identified during the mission are:

Definitions of key terminology:the concepts associated to forced displacement (such as IDPs, refugees, population in need of international protection) - are not always mainstreamed into the language and information systems of relevant stakeholders, given the relatively new focus on the humanitarian impact of TOC and OSV. Furthermore, the potential causes of population movements due to TOC and OSV are also not systematically understood or collected in the same way (i.e. in some data collection instruments the causes speak can be asked as ‘insecurity’, ‘threats’, ‘violence’, ‘persecution’, etc.). This situation has asignificant impact on the reliabilityand comparabilityof available data that has been collected with different objectives, concepts and purposes. It will be crucial during the design of a comprehensive profiling methodology to reach consensus on key terms, and to ensurethat these are consistently defined and applied in accordance with international legal and operational frameworks and disseminated through appropriate channels.

Identification of forced displacement within a complex migratory context: any attempt to assess and monitor the magnitude, characteristics and profiles of forcedly displaced populations in the region will have to address the multiple challenges associated to the context, including: historic migration flows associated to multiple –and sometimes overlapping- factors (i.e. economic conditions, familiar reasons, insecurity, natural disasters, rural-urban patterns, etc.); diverse ‘stages’ of displacement (i.e. from internally displaced, to crossing of international borders, to deportation or repatriation for most, which often leads them to repeat the cycle due to prevalence of insecurity conditions); multiple risk events affecting different profiles (youths at risk of forced recruitment, women affected by human trafficking, business owners targeted for extortions, activists, reporters or witnesses threatened or persecuted, etc.); presumed ‘invisibility’ of forced migrants (due to protection concerns, or irregular migratory situation); mixed migration patterns within households, with some members internally or externally displaced while other might stay. It is specially here where the advantages of a comprehensive and solid profiling methodology can be best observe,as it will allow beingsystematic in distinguishing the multiple causes, stages and groups at risk of forced displacement, in order to be able to analyse the information collected appropriately and prioritise response based on evidence.