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With homicide levels in the region on a par with some of the world’s worst armed conflicts,[1] gangs and criminal groups represent the new face of organised violence in Latin America. For many people, having a close family member or…

The Humanitarian Resettlement Programme for extra-regional refugees built on the Solidarity Resettlement Programme that emerged from the 2004 Mexico Declaration and Plan of Action. The Solidarity Resettlement Programme was designed for refugees in need of protection within the region, and…

The risk of recruitment of minors by armed groups has been a significant cause of displacement in Colombia. In 2008, it was estimated that between 8,000 and 13,000 children – with an average age of 13 – had been recruited…

The Victims and Land Restitution Law (Law 1448 of 2011[1]) offers Colombia’s displaced population a new route for reclaiming their land. It has received praise and criticism in almost equal measure, but there is one overarching concern: the low number…

It was Saturday and they were dancing the night away. A group of young men used plastic buckets for an improvised drumming session. It was not until 3:40 in the morning that everything finally went quiet. By 8:30 am, normal…

I first became aware of the existence of the Darién Gap when I began working in 2015 as a psychotherapist for unaccompanied children arriving in the United States (US). The vast majority of these children were fleeing persecution in their…

The long-established stream of migrants trying to reach the United States (US) in order to improve their economic security has been broadened by thousands of forcibly displaced persons fleeing violence and insecurity in Mexico.[1] Rigid distinctions between voluntary and forced…

In late 2015, I conducted interviews with Central Americans staying at a shelter in Ciudad Ixtepec, a town in southern Mexico, and with Salvadorans who had been deported from Mexico and were now at a centre for returnees in Santa…