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1.IOM Regional Director for Latin America, Diego Beltrand, with Gabriela Rivadeneira, President of the National Assembly and Rogelio Bernal, OIM Ecuador Chief of Mission. 2.Beltrand meeting Cecilia Vaca, Coordinating Minister of Social Development and Rogelio Bernal. 3.Beltrand, Bernal and Carina ArgĂźello, Undersecretary for Homeland Security of the Ministry of the Interior.
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VISIT OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR LATIN AMERICA TO ECUADOR DzMan is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaves never wither" (Psalm 1-3ČŒ IOM Ecuador would like to honour our colleague Walter Arce, IOM Chief of Mission in Bolivia. May he and his children rest in peace, and may the Lord give his wife and family the strength and faith to overcome these very difficult momentsǤ
The topics discussed during each meeting included: Possible cooperation between the IOM and the Ecuadorian Government on labour migration; the South American Conference on Migration and other regional meetings related to human mobility; the importance of economic and social inclusion of people in situation of human mobility; the relevance of the immigration issue in Post-2015 discussions; cooperation with the National Assembly on the issue of migration; cooperation on issues of humanitarian and emergency aid; continued cooperation in combating human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants; the United Nations Development Action Framework (UNDAF), and technical cooperation on climate change and migration, respectively The Regional Director thanked the authorities for the productive cooperation with the IOM and, likewise, made the Organization available for the purpose of following up on some of the specific proposals discussed in the meetings. Mr. Beltrand highlighted IOM’s commitment to work in line with the priorities of the region’s governments Finally, the Regional Director took the opportunity to meet with IOM Ecuador staff and to congratulate everyone on their continued efforts to assist people in situation of human mobility
4.Diego Beltrand and President Ernesto Samper, Secretary General of UNASUR (photo courtesy by Unasur). 5.Diego Beltrand with OIM Ecuador staff
Editorial
IMPACTS OF THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FOR PERSONS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION The Emergency Assistance Programme for People Seeking International Protection, implemented on Ecuador's northern border through the International Organization for Migration, IOM, has, in recent years, focused on the management of water and sanitation, working directly and in coordination with the decentralized autonomous governments that have responsibility for this service With generous funding from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) of the U.S. Department of State, lavatories have been built and drinking water systems improved to solve emergencies in different places along the northern border where the service was deficient and the water quality poor, or where the available water was insufficient to meet the population’s needs The work undertaken by the IOM has focused on communities receiving people and migrants seeking international protection, ensuring that all residents benefit equally Besides the various works and the resulting beneficiaries, it is important to highlight the impact this Programme has had in the target communities. It has been one of the key factors behind the stabilization of the population. It is clear, for example, that without access to drinking water as a principal basic service, the receiving population would have opted to migrate to other towns with better services According to testimonies from the communities themselves, improvements to the drinking water and sanitation services have encouraged people to remain in their communities and work to achieve progress The arrival of the water service to households has freed up the time previously destined to fetching water from distant sources, enabling men and women to devote more time to productive work, generating savings and improving household incomes Populations with access to drinking water and sanitation have reported a significant improvement in the health of their inhabitants, particularly with regard to the incidence of waterborne diseases such as acute diarrhoea, respiratory infections, skin diseases (fungus and rashes), among others In addition, the population’s attitudes and practices in terms of hygiene in the home, at school and towards personal hygiene in general have significantly improved, achieving benefits in health, especially for children. This in turn has reduced the monthly sums families assign to health care and purchasing medicines to combat illnesses caused by the consumption and use of untreated water Since the project is tightly coordinated with local autonomous governments, the capacities of both government officials as well as those of the social organizations with responsibility for drinking water and sanitation maintenance have been strengthened, creating greater credibility and interaction between local governments and the communities The Assistance Programme for People Seeking International Protection., implemented by the IOM, will continue to strive to support the Ecuadorian Government in its efforts to address the most basic needs of border communities who require immediate solutions to their problems regarding water and sanitation as well as other matters related to social, productive and environmental issues.
AGENDA
INAUGURATION OF WORKS IN THE CANTON OF LAGO AGRIO
IOM IS A SPECIAL GUEST TO THE III CELAC SUMMIT IOM Ecuador was invited to attend the III Summit on Migration of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which took place on October 22 and 23, in Azogues, province of Cañar. During the inauguration, the Ecuadorian Vice Minister of Human Mobility, Maria Landazuri, spoke of creating citizen diplomacy in Ecuador to revalue human mobility, indicating that the political dialogue within CELAC should serve people’s rights and condemning adverse situations. She emphasized that the problems migrants are faced with should be avoided and prevented Among the main commitments agreed upon, the Regional Summit: encourages those countries receiving minor migrants to fully respect their rights, always striving to protect children’s best interest; encourages States to share information allowing them to adopt resolutions, guidelines and migratory good practices; urges member States to have access to a migratory statistics database that will allow formulation of actions and public policies; and seeks to coordinate a regional position vis-a-vis of destination countries, seeking to protect migrants’ human rights During the closing speeches, the Ecuadorian Vice Minister for Human Mobility explained that, during this Summit, CELAC was able to define mechanisms to place the migratory issue within the Post 2015 Development Agenda, and informed that in November 12 and 13, during the Migration Dialogue between CELAC and the European Union, the proposals and mechanisms to strengthen migrants’ rights will be tackled in more depth
On October 2, two works were inaugurated in Lago Agrio to improve drinking water systems in the communities of San Vicente and Corazón Orense, attended by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors of the Decentralized Autonomous Government of Lago Agrio, as well as the authorities and people from the beneficiary communities, the Representative of the United States of America Embassy, on behalf of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the U.S. Department of State - Programme donor, and IOM officials in charge of the Assistance Programme for People Seeking International Protection In the referred communities, the IOM contracted the drilling of new wells, pumping equipment, improved chlorination systems, extended networks and, in general, improvements to the infrastructure, to meet the beneficiary communities’ needs for drinking water and to expand service to homes where direct drinking water supplies are scarce The Mayor of Lago Agrio, Vinicio Vega, thanked the support provided by the IOM and the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, and pledged his support to continue working jointly to solve his canton’s water and sanitation problems During the ninth execution phase of the Programme, the IOM has supported the Lago Agrio municipality in the construction of 6 works, including three improvements to drinking water systems, an enclosure for protecting a drinking water system, and two lavatories for schools in the sector
Top: Shiva Marvasti from the US Embassy, inaugurates works at Corazón Orense, accompanied by the Mayo Vinicio Vega and Robert Natiello. Abajo: Robert Natiello, from OIM Colombia and Vinicio Vega, Mayor of Lago Agrio, inauguratin works at San Vicente.
AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE FOR THE PREVENTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE INTEGRAL PROTECTION OF VICTIMS OF THIS CRIME IN THE CANTON OF LAGO AGRIO THE CANADA RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME MANAGER VISITS QUITO In October, IOM staff in Quito welcomed the Canada Resettlement Project Manager, Mrs. Andrée Blouin. During her week-long visit, Mrs. Blouin interviewed refugees who have been considered for resettlement to Canada. Of the 30 refugees interviewed, 16 were accepted and 14 remain pending. Mrs. Blouin attended meetings with UNHCR, as well as the embassies of Canada and the U.S. in Ecuador to discuss the current realities and the future of the Resettlement Assistance Programme in Ecuador. IOM Ecuador appreciates the close and effective relationship maintained with Canadian officials in Bogota and hopes it continues its work in assisting refugees in need of resettlement
On September 26, the Municipal Decentralized Autonomous Government of Lago Agrio approved, in the second debate, the Municipal Ordinance for the Prevention of Human Trafficking and the Integral Protection of Victims of this Crime in the Canton of Lago Agrio. This activity was planned as part of the Coordination and Cooperation Alliance of the Canton Agenda for the Prevention and Punishment of Human Trafficking and the Integral Protection for Victims 2013-2017 Adoption of this Ordinance was obtained using the "Empty Chair" concept, pursuant to Article 311 of the Code for Territorial Organization, Autonomy and Decentralization (COOTAD), and in accordance with Art. 77 of the Citizen Participation Law, which establishes the existence of the Empty Chair at public meetings of Decentralized Autonomous Governments. Such chair may be occupied by a member of the public based on the topics to be addressed, in order to participate in the discussion and in decision-making on matters of general interest. The representative of the Leonidas Proaño Foundation, an Organization forming part of the Lago Agrio Anti-Trafficking Bureau, was delegated to occupy this chair IOM’s Programme to Combat Human Trafficking has been present in Lago Agrio since 2011 and one of the its greatest achievements has been the reactivation of the Lago Agrio Anti-Trafficking Bureau in January 2012. The Anti-Trafficking Bureau is a network comprising both public and private actors and is one of the country’s most active local networks seeking to combat this crime. During these months, the Programme has supported the Municipal GAD in the implementation of the Canton Agenda. One of the most important activities was the technical support provided to the Municipality for the participatory development of a Draft Ordinance to help combat human trafficking
CULTURAL ORIENTATION FOR CANADA In October, the Cultural Orientation for Canada Programme (COA) held 2 orientation sessions in the Quito IOM offices. During these sessions, the refugees who will be resettled in Canada attended and actively participated in preparation for their new life in the country In October, the COA was pleased to receive a visit Richard York, from the Canadian Embassy in Quito, who shared his own experience of living in this country and the friendly and welcoming nature of its people. The COA thanks the Embassy staff members, who constantly participate in the CO sessions, providing participants with an official welcome to Canada through its government officials
During his speech at the closing of IOM’s Programme to Combat Trafficking in Lago Agrio, Mayor Vinicio Vega makes a commitment to follow up on the approval of the Municipal Ordinance to Combat Human Trafficking
FIRST IOM CULTURAL ORIENTATIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN
IOM IN UNDAF WORKSHOPS During October, the IOM participated in five workshops held between the United Nations System (UNS) and the Technical Secretariat for International Cooperation (SETECI) of the Ecuadorian Government to define products for biannual contributions to the UNS Agencies within the United Nations Development Action Framework (UNDAF) during the first two years of implementation. During the workshop, products were agreed upon in line with the National Plan for Good Living, seeking to complement the strategic guidelines defined by the Government, particularly with respect to coordination between governmental and interagency counterparts The UNDAF was signed between the Chancellor Patiño and the UNS in June of this year and will come into force in January 2015, with duration of four years (2015-2018). In this same connection, IOM also participated from a strategic meeting between UNS representatives and Gabriela Rosero, the highest authority at SETECI. This meeting helped clarify important aspect of the UNDAF, emphasizing the Government’s priority for SNU cooperation to be aligned to the national plans, thus building a common goal and complementing the actions already in progress
Among the activities of the RSC (Resettlement Support Centre for Latin America and The Caribbean), Cultural Orientation (CO) is the activity in which refugees have the opportunity to learn about the culture of the United States and clarify any doubts they may have concerning their forthcoming journey For the first time, the RSC undertook the CO outside of Ecuador. The sessions were held in Trinidad and Tobago, at the offices of the “Living Water Community”. This involved dividing the refugees into two groups: Spanish speakers and English speakers. The first group comprised 15 individuals of Cuban nationality. The second group comprised 5 people from different countries: Jamaica, Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh and Gambia This is also the first time that RSC staff have held a CO session in English and that the services of an interpreter were used to ensure that all the beneficiaries received the information in the best way. The class held in English was also attended by various Arabic-speaking refugees. The use of the interpreter and several educational activities helped the beneficiaries to learn without being totally conversant in the language The COs lasted two days and were facilitated by the Cultural Guides Cristina Rodriguez and Maria José Fernández. The sessions presented great challenges since the participants came from nationalities different to those with which we usually work. Adjustments were made to the curriculum to ensure that the participants identified with the different topics covered in the cultural orientation The CO sessions were a success. They provided a great experience and the team is ready to continue developing the programme for future participants in the region
IOM ECUADOR AT PUCE On October 16, 2014, the “Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador” (PUCE) hosted the personal and professional activation seminar "Take charge of your life, aimed at all its students, regardless of their specialty. Approximately 3,000 students participated. IOM Ecuador was present with a stand providing information on the Programme to Assist Migrants, Scholarship Holders and/or Students, which offers one-way air tickets with discounts for people traveling to study abroad
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IOM PARTICIPATES IN UN OPEN HOUSE As part of the celebrations of the United Nations Day, a "UN Open House" was held on Thursday, October 23 at the Ecuador UN building, which included the participation of the member organizations of the United Nations System in Ecuador, of which IOM forms a part. The purpose of this initiative was to increase the accessibility of the UN system to young people and to encourage greater participation by them in the Ecuador UN system activities. More than 200 university students, from UDLA, PUCE, UCE, SEK, USFQ and UTN, visited the Ecuador UN System and learned of the actions being carried out by the United Nations. The programmes and exhibiting agencies included: UNFPA, IOM, UNHCR, UNV, UNDP, PAHO/ WHO, PPD, WFP, OHCHR, UNICEF, FAO and UN Women The IOM took this wonderful opportunity to inform about its activities and programmes at a global, regional and national level. It also informed the attending students about the Programme to Assist Migrants, Scholarship Holders and/or Students, which facilitates the movement of scholarship holders and students to and from abroad
Dorila Nazareno Caicedo has been a teacher for 21 years and works with approximately 40 children at the Los Chavitos Buen Vivir Children's Centre located in San Lorenzo, Esmeraldas She recounted how, before, the children’s lavatories were in poor conditions, and not suitable for children. She added that those who worked in the centre were embarrassed when visitors came by. "Now we are happy for people to come and visit us because we have something good," she said, laughing. "These lavatories are better for the children, they’re happy". Dorila recalled that previously an adult had to accompany the children, to help them sit down and to hold them. "Now they go by themselves, sit, and they press the button …µ When asked if she had heard of IOM, Dorila reacted effusively, saying yes. "We are very happy, we are glad, the whole neighbourhood is happy" with the works that IOM has done The Chavitos Children's Centre was one of the educational institutions that benefitted from the new lavatories for small children. The lavatories were built by IOM, with support from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, of the Department of State of the United States of America