AT A GLANCE
WHO
660,000
Refugee
Children
WHY
Gang violence, political unrest and poverty
NEEDS
Food
Water
Medical Care
Family Reunification
Education
Child Safe Spaces
Shelter
THE CAUSE
Poverty, violence and corruption have driven families and
many unaccompanied children to seek safety in neighboring countries.
Poverty, corruption and gang violence in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador ( collectively dubbed the “Northern Triangle'') have forced over 600,000 people on a perilous journey to uncertain safety in neighboring countries. Guatemalans have been leaving their homeland due to gang violence and rampant corruption following the end of the country’s brutal civil war in the 1990s. Honduras and El Salvador have also been facing widespread violence and extortion by powerful organized crime gangs, plunging communities into economic stagnation. Food insecurity, poverty and the impacts of worsening natural disasters have further exacerbated the crisis in the region
IMPACT ON CHILDREN
Central American refugee children are fleeing rampant violence and threats by gang members.
Central America has the highest homicide rate in the world. Gang recruitment of minors through intimidation, coercion, and violence is a harrowing and persistent threat for children as young as seven years old.
Children, particularly girls, struggle to live free from violence in their home countries, driving many to leave in search of safety – often unaccompanied.
Half of all children seeking safety in the USA say they fled serious harm, domestic abuse or threats by gangs. Upon reaching the US or Mexico, these children and their parents encounter immense anxiety and challenges, from language barriers and uncertain legal status to overwhelmed support systems and the trauma of intentional family separations at the border.
THE CRISIS TODAY
As the number of Central American refugees passes 660,000 governments and organizations search for long-term solutions.
There are no established refugee camps for Central Americans. Host countries like the U.S. have focused on strategies to address the root causes of the crisis, as have Central American governments, albeit with limited success.
International aid organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees work within these countries to provide support and protection alternatives, aiming for long-term solutions. Meanwhile, nonprofits such as Miry’s List and the Casa Alitas Program help provide new-arrival refugee families with necessities, friendship, and temporary shelter.
At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, a coalition of American nations adopted the Panama City Declaration, increasing efforts to address forced displacement together.
SOURCES
UNICEF
Refugees International:
Global Compact Refugees:
Oxfam
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