The region of Latin America and the Caribbean has long demonstrated hospitality towards those fleeing conflict and persecution within the region and further afield. Faced with newer causes of displacement, such as the violence of organised criminal gangs and the adverse effects of climate change, Latin American and Caribbean countries are continuing to expand and adapt their protection laws and mechanisms in order to address these and other situations of displacement and to meet the differing needs of affected populations.
In his Foreword to this issue, the High Commissioner for Refugees applauds the region’s tradition of solidarity and humanitarianism, and recognises the Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action of 2014 as “an important model of honest, transparent and dedicated regional cooperation for the world”. Although Latin America and the Caribbean still face significant challenges that require urgent attention, and the number of asylum applications continues to rise, there is much to commend in the region’s continuing commitment to provide protection, and much to learn from its varied, often innovative approaches.
As we go to print, Mexico and a number of Caribbean countries are suffering the devastating effects of natural disasters, and many people have been displaced. Some of the articles in this issue discuss research findings and new tools relevant to such situations.
At www.fmreview.org/thematic-listings you will find a new FMR thematic listing on Latin America and the Caribbean providing links to the articles in this issue and 70+ additional articles published on this subject in previous FMRs – still well worth reading.
We would like to thank Marco Formisano (UNHCR) and Marcia Vera Espinoza (University of Sheffield) for their assistance as advisors on this feature theme.
We are also grateful to the following for their financial support for this issue: CAMMINA (Central America and Mexico Migration Alliance), Entreculturas, Open Society Foundations, Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and UNHCR. Visit our donors page for all current and recent FMR donors.
Formats and languages: The full issue and all the individual articles in this issue are online in HTML, PDF and audio formats at www.fmreview.org/latinamerica-caribbean. This issue and its accompanying digest (which provides introductions to all articles plus QR/web links) will be available free of charge online and in print in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.
If you would like printed copies of either the magazine or the digest, in any language, please email us at fmr@qeh.ox.ac.uk.
30th anniversary: The first issue of FMR’s predecessor, the RPN Newsletter, was published in November 1987 and so with this issue we celebrate our 30th anniversary! We’ve taken the opportunity to refresh our cover design, and would like to thank all those who have engaged with us over these three decades: readers, authors, donors, advisors and colleagues. See www.fmreview.org/30th-anniversary for our reflections on the past 30 years.
- FMR 57: Syrians in displacement
- FMR 58: Economies: rights and access to work, with a supplementary feature on refugee-led social protection
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Marion Couldrey and Jenny Peebles
Editors, Forced Migration Review