For women and girls who attempt the journey from Central America to Mexico or the United States to seek safety, sexual violence is often considered the cost of arriving at their destination. Girls who travel without a parent or guardian are especially vulnerable to sexual violence and exploitation, and fear and shame prevent many girls from reporting violence and seeking help.
KIND and our partner organizations in Guatemala and Honduras are pushing back against the normalization of sexual violence in migration and the stigma faced by survivors. We are educating young people on their right to freedom from violence during migration, and where to seek help if and when they need it.
At the same time, we are equipping their parents, teachers, and community leaders to prevent violence against children and strengthen support for survivors. To support this work, KIND and our partners rolled out a new Gender and Migration Curriculum Guide that distills nearly ten years of shared programming experience into a set of activities and evaluation tools for adolescents, parents, and teachers. The guide includes topics that are critical to preventing gender-based violence and promoting gender equality, including positive relationships, health, and personal security. It uses interactive methodologies to help participants to apply what they are learning in their own lives and work and prepares them to share those learnings with others.
And our partners continue to work within communities in Guatemala and Honduras to support young people in addressing gender-based violence, including:
- Huehuetenango, Guatemala, Asociacion Pop No’j trains schoolteachers to recognize the signs that a student has experienced sexual violence and connect them with the protection and support they need.
- Quiche, Guatemala, Equipo de Estudios Comunitarios y Accion Psicosocial (ECAP) educates adolescents on gender and rights in migration and supports them as they share that knowledge with their peers.
- Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Colectivo Vida Digna works to provide viable alternatives to irregular migration for adolescent girls in Maya communities by helping them build the skills they need for economic independence and community engagement.
- San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Comité Central de Accion Menonita (CASM) works with groups of parents to help them understand the risks associated with irregular migration and the rights of children and adolescents in migration, preparing them to educate their children and make informed decisions for their families.
- Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Casa Alianza Honduras engages girls who are survivors of sexual violence, including those who have migrated, in therapeutic activities that help them to process their experiences and begin the healing process while developing new coping skills.
While each of KIND’s partners takes a unique approach to their work based on their community’s needs and organizational capacity, they share a commitment to a holistic strategy that engages not only young people but their families and communities to prevent and respond to violence.
During the #16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, we celebrate the dedication of our partners in Guatemala and Honduras to preventing gender-based violence against children and adolescents in every phase of their migration journey.
