EL SALVADOR: CHILDREN ON THE MOVE Belice Belmopan
In 2016
Guatemala
CANADA
Honduras Tegucigalpa
Guatemala City San Salvador
San Francisco
El Salvador
Nicaragua
Approximately 18,000 unaccompanied children and adolescents from El Salvador were detained in the US and Mexico.
Managua
San José
Costa Rica
More than 9,000 children and adolescents returned to El Salvador.
Panama City
MEXICO
Panama
Los Angeles and San Francisco are the pain destinations of migrants.
Returned children and adolescents by age range in 2016 Return by land
USA
Los Angeles
Children by kind of return in 2016 Return by land
Return by air
Return by air Boys
16 to 17 years Girls
13 to 15 years
0
10 to 12 years
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000
7 to 9 years 4 to 6 years 0 to 3 years
WHY DO ADOLESCENTS MIGRATE? “Mainly because of safety concerns and the economy here in El Salvador: opportunities to study are scarce, there is little support for students to grow and broaden their horizons.”
RETURN OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS BY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEPARTMENT IN 2016
Lisseth, 14 years old
Chalatenango Santa Ana
09
Cuscatlán
Ahuachapán
San Salvador
Sonsonate La Libertad
156
Morazán San Vicente
La Paz
363 1,310
Cabañas
Usulután
San Miguel La Unión
13 327
The department with the highest number of returning children and adolescents is San Salvador. Via air, over 86% return alone.Via land, this number decreases to 24%.
15 666 Sources: Data of the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners in El Salvador, 2016
Jovel, M. Estudio de caso sobre la reintegración de niños, niñas y adolescentes deportada en situación de retorno a su comunidad de origen. Save the Children, 2017.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CHILDREN WHO RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES? The barriers and obstacles to school reintegration and access to protection or income-generating services are enormous. Many returned children and adolescents are unable to overcome the psychosocial challenges facing them and continue to be vulnerable to factors such as delinquency and organized crime.
“The worst part of the process is the fact that dreams are truncated when they stop you. One says: Wow, and today what will I do? I have no hope here in El Salvador because economy and violence are bad. My community is not secure. It cost me to rejoin because society discriminates against me and makes me bullying” Roberto, 16 years old
There are Laws and Protocols for the care and support of this population, but the process of effective reintegration with families, schools and communities is still precarious. In order to reinforce this work and advance the guarantee of the rights of children, it is important to take into account: 1. Follow up and continuous intervention. 2. Strengthen prevention and protection mechanisms.
INSTRUMENTS AND PROTOCOLS OF THE NATIONAL INTEGRAL PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS Integral Care Plan for returned children The Coordinating Bureau for the Protection and Care of Migrant Children and Adolescents
Migration Officer’s Manual
Plan of integral attention to Girls, Children and Adolescents returned in their familiar surroundings
Save the Children in El Salvador, together with its partner organizations, implements actions to strengthen the social community fabric, improve re-integration into education, increase community development opportunities and establish child shelter alternatives for returnees based on the superior interest of the child.
Roadmap for Care and Protection of Migrant Children and Adolescents
Protocol for the Protection and Care of Salvadoran Migrant Children and Adolescents
PHASE 1
Reception in the areas of repatriation in the DMG (General Directorate of Migration and Aliens) where first psychological aid is provided. Santa Ana
Chalatenango
San Sonsonate Salvador La Libertad
Admission to the program of care in the CANAF (Center for Child,Adolescent and Family Care). PHASE 3
Cuscatlán
Ahuachapán
PHASE 2
DGME
Cabañas Morazán San Vicente
La Paz
San Miguel La Unión Usulután
PHASE 4
Case assessment and completion of the care process.
It articulates services in the territory to include children and adolescents in local and national care and monitoring services, giving proper follow-up.
CANAF