GENERALBACKGROUND
The Joint IDP Profiling Service – JIPS[1]-has been supporting profiling activities in Central America during 2013 and 2014, to provide guidance and coordination of information gathering activities in relation to the humanitarian impact of crime and violence in NTCA (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador), following a request from UNHCR’s Central America Regional Office, in close coordination with UN System, government authorities, regional organisations, implementing and operational partners.During October 2013, JIPS undertook an initial scoping mission to review initial profiling activities and discuss with different stakeholders. The main conclusion from the mission was that profiling the forced displacement situation in the region (and particularly in Honduras) was not only desirable and feasible, but could be a highly impactful exercise given the strong coordination platform already in place, and the possibilities for reaching out to a wider group of stakeholders. Specific recommendations included: a) complete a full review and analysis of secondary data available related to forced displacement in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, that can provide an initial approximation to its characteristics, patterns and geographic distribution; b) organize an inter-agency workshop to present and analyse the findings from this initial phase in a consultative manner, as well as to reach consensus in relation to the follow-up activities needed; c) design and implement a collaborative snapshot profiling exercise in Honduras, aiming to collect primary data in a systematic and comprehensive manner.
After the initial mission, JIPS continued to provide remote support during the review and analysis of secondary data, and agreed with partners to undertake a second field-based mission to Honduras from the 25th of March to the 4th of April 2014, with the main goal of facilitating the joint analysis of preliminary findings from initial studies and secondary data reviews on forced displacement in the region, as well as to set-up the main elements for the planning and design of a comprehensive profiling exercise in Honduras.
MISSION OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the JIPS mission were identified in the agreed TORs (Annex 1: JIPS’Technical Missionto NTCA - Terms of Reference).Overall, they concernsupport and guidance to partners for the planning of profiling activities in NTCA (with a focus on Honduras), specifically referring to: the facilitationof a regional workshop with consultants and experts currently researching on forced displacement in the region; the facilitationof a workshop for the dissemination and joint discussions of preliminary findings from the review of secondary data related to forced displacement in Honduras; the development of an appropriate methodological approach as well as a work-plan/roadmap for the implementation of a primary data collection exercise in Honduras.
MISSION ACTIVIITIESAND OUTPUTS
A full mission schedule is attached as an annex to this report(Annex 2: JIPS’Technical Mission to NTCA - Agenda).The main activities conducted and outputs obtained during the mission are as follows:
(1)Facilitation of a technical regional workshop: during the first phase of profiling activities UNHCR (with the financial support of ECHO) has been collaborating with different local experts and implementing partners to conduct initial information gathering activities in the region, with the goal of obtaining a first approximation to the magnitude, trends and protection needs of the population affected by forced displacement. These include:i) three studies that aim to characterize the population returned/deported to each of the NTCA countries from the US and Mexico in recent years;ii) the design of monitoring system of migration/displacement flows in Guatemala and Honduras; and iii) a review and analysis of available quantitative data on internal migration in Honduras and its relationship with crime and violence. After the first mission, JIPS provided remote guidance for the development of these studies, including comments to data collection tools and input into the development of aharmonized tabulation and reporting plan for all the studies.
A main activity for this second mission centred on the facilitation of a technical workshop with the researchers in charge of the different studies, with the goal of comparing conceptual frameworks/definitions, methodologies and preliminary results. The workshop benefited also from the presence of researchers from Mexico and EEUU that have completed or were undertaking related studies on internal and regional migration flows (see Annex 3: Technical Regional Workshop - Concept Noteand Annex 4: Honduras Workshop – Presentations Package).The main outcomes of the workshop were: i) the identification of common challenges and limitations of existing information sources; ii) specific recommendations given for the finalization of the studies aiming for standardization of terminology, report structure and types of analysis; iii) identification of the need to produce a comparative analysis report once all the studies are finished; and iv) interest to promote future exchange of information and discussions about research on forced displacement in the region.
(2)Facilitation of aninter-institutional workshop in Honduras: as mentioned above, the initial phase of profiling activities involved the review and analysis of available data sources related to internal displacement in Honduras, the country in the region were this phenomenon was believed to be more pressing. The study aimed also to provide preliminary evidence to guide the work of the Inter-institutional Commission for the Protection of Persons Displaced by Violence in Honduras, a mix effort between government agencies and civil society organizations created to raise awareness about this problematic and identify appropriate institutional responses.
Therefore, a second main activity for the mission centred on the facilitation of an inter-institutional workshop for the presentation of preliminary findings from such secondary data review and based on those results,to generate a joint discussion on the need, feasibility and appropriate methodological approach for primary data collection in the country. The workshop was co-hosted by the lead actors from the Commission on IDPs (Ministry of Human Rights and Justice and CIPRODEH), and benefited from the participation of a significant number of representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, national and international agencies, academics and experts and donors(see Annex 5: Honduras Workshop - Concept Noteand Annex 6: Honduras Workshop - Presentations Package). The main outcomes of the workshop were: i) positive widespread reception of the efforts to provide an initial quantitative analysis and statistically significant evidence of links between internal migration and criminality and a first approximation to the magnitude and geographic distribution of internal displacement in the country; ii) a shared consensus on the need to conduct further information gathering activities to fill the gaps of existing data sources, and particularly to identify and profile the affected populated at the locallevel; iii) the buy-in and direct ownership from the Inter-institutional Commission on IDPs to led the design and implementation of a comprehensive primary data collection exercise in Honduras; iv) agreement on the next steps and the main methodological elements to conduct such an exercise.
(3)Joint development of an initial concept note for the Honduras profiling exercise:several technical working sessions were held with the lead researcher in Honduras as well as with the national statistical office (INE); likewise, JIPS and UNHCR engaged with different actors in a series of strategic meetings to discuss potential for collaboration (INE, UNDP, OCHA, BID, GIZ, EU, USAID, Swiss Red Cross). As a result, an initial concept note to guide the design and implementation of a comprehensive primary data collection exercisewas produced(see Annex 7: Primary Data Collection on Internal Displacement in Honduras - Concept Note), involving the following main elements:
•Objectives:estimation of the magnitude of internal displacement in Honduras and its geographic disaggregation; population profiles of affected / in-risk population; solid evidence for the design of appropriate policies and interventions.
•Coordination platform: the process to understand and measure internal displacement in Honduras will be led by the Inter-institutional Commission on IDPs,with the technical support of the National Statistics Institute and JIPS, and the establishment of a Consultative Group (including UNHCR and other organizations pending for confirmation) that will provide advice and support for fundraising, awareness raising and dissemination of results. To oversee the implementation of all expected activities, it was suggested to establish a coordination team formed by focal points of the Commission, UNHCR (as main advisor to the former), INE and a profiling coordinator to hire.
•Coverage:departments/municipalities most affected by population movements associated to crime/violence; selected neighbourhoods within these locations. The target population will cover those internally displaced, those in risk of displacement, and other vulnerable neighbour population.
•Methodology design: given the specific challenges of the context under research (risks accessing areas, invisibility of the phenomenon, protection concerns for victims of displacement, among others), it was agreed to adopt a mixed approach combining different data collection methods and information sources (qualitative mapping of selected municipalities, enumeration of selected neighbourhoods, and sample-based household survey).
•Operational planning: again, given the specific challenges, it was agreed to benefit from the access and expertise of national and international organizations with local presence for data collection activities, facilitating access to areas and trust from respondents.
•Timeline and budget: the expected duration of the exercise will be 6 months, with an estimated cost of USD 300.000. The Government agreed to discuss internally the potential allocation of own funds for the exercise, and initial discussions were started during the mission with potential partners that can contribute towards the rest of the costs of the exercise.
KEY OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In accordance to the mission objectives and activities, observations and recommendations focus on the next steps for the planned profiling activities in the region, which addresses the following issues:
- Finalization and harmonization of country-specific and regional studies
- Coordination with other activities in the region and common messages
- Ensuring national ownership of the profiling exercise in Honduras through the process, with external support/guidance
- Continued methodological discussions on ways to address expected challenges
- Training and capacity building
Finalization and harmonization of country-specific and regional studies
The technical workshop with researchers from the different countries was a good opportunity to assess and compare preliminary results from the different studies on forced displacement in the region, which have largely rely on an analysis of secondary data, complemented with in-depth qualitative interviews. Acknowledging that the studies have faced common challenges in terms of limitations of existing sources to obtain a reliable understanding of the magnitude and characteristics of the situation, and the difficulties to collect data given the characteristics of the context, their preliminary results are giving initial basis to confirm that the increasing trends in terms of violence and crime in the region are associated (directly or indirectly) to migration flows, and that a number of different victimizing events (threats, persecution, extortions, generalized insecurity and violence) are causing internal and external displacement throughout the region of different population groups (youth males and females, unaccompanied minors, human right defenders, small businessmen, etc.).
In this regard, as agreed with partners during the mission, it is recommended to complete the different studies in a standardapproach (i.e. in terms of terminology, structure and type of analysis), with the main goal of producing a comparative analysis report before mid-year. JIPS has agreed to provide support for the former task, particularly in respect to the comparative analysis of key quantitative and qualitative findings. Likewise, JIPS has agreed to facilitatethe development of a virtual space to share reports, tools and discussion forums (i.e. a regional community of practice or website page) in the coming weeks.
Coordination with other activities in the region and common messages
Since 2013,JIPS has been also engaged in discussions with stakeholders at global level in order to discuss other information gathering activities taking place in the region, and identify potential mechanisms for coordination and complementarity among them.This was supported by partners in the region, who have been discussing and sharing information among themselves. Specifically during this second mission, JIPS discussed and shared information with ACAPS (who’s assisting NRCto conduct a secondary data review of the humanitarian impact of other situations of violence in the region), with the goal of avoiding duplication in relation to review of sources related to forced displacement, as well as to discuss common findings and recommendations. In this regards, JIPS recommends to continued working along these lines, by sharing the preliminary/final results and conclusions from the analysis on forced displacement with ACAPS colleagues so they can be integrated in their final reports. Moreover, through JIPS extended network of SC agencies the results and conclusions of the initial studies can be further disseminated, aiming to establish common advocacy messages among stakeholders who’re currently involved in analysing this situation (i.e. UNHCR, IDMC, NRC, OCHA, and Special Rapporteur), as well as others who can support these efforts.
National ownership of the profiling exercise in Honduras, with external support/guidance
The IDP profiling exercise in Honduras was not only seen as needed by actors in the country, but it was already recognized as a key area of work in the agenda of the Inter-institutional Commission on IDPs in Honduras, which was formally launched by the President of the country while JIPS mission was being conducted. As such, it was possible to confirm the high level of buy-in and empowerment from the Government and the civil society in Honduras for this topic, and their interest to led and coordinate the implementation of such exercise.This is already a key milestone to ensure consensus and effective use of its findings, with a direct link to advocacy and policy.
As discussed with partners during the mission, the role of international agencies and organization must now focus on providing technical, financial and operational support to the Commission during the design and implementation of the exercise. With regards to technical guidance, whole the finalization of methodology design has been handed over to the national statistical office (INE), JIPS has agreed to continue its remote support for this purpose. On the financial side, the Government has promised to make efforts to re-direct own funds to cover part of the data collection costs;to complement these, UNHCR and JIPS have agreed to provide some contributions (particularly for the initial phase of data collection and the establishment of the coordination team), and at the same time, to liaise with other international agencies (such as BID, UNDP, OHCHR) and donors (USAID, EU, Swiss Cooperation, GIZ), to obtain additional resources. Finally, for operational purposes, the participation of organizations with field-level presence and activities will be fundamental, to facilitate access to targeted areas and population groups. These could include technical focal points from the members of REDLAC (Regional Emergency & Disasters Group) or the recently launched Humanitarian Network led by OCHA, local NGOs and religious organizations, and university research centres (IUDPAS, IIES), among others.
Finally, a recommendation made in the first mission report is still relevant, in the sense of reaching-out more strongly to stakeholders at local or municipal level, whose involvement will be key to build consensus,facilitate implementation of data collection activities, and ensure an effective use of the results for the design of public policies at all levels.
Continued methodological discussionson ways to address expected challenges
As discussed with different actors during the mission, the identification and profiling of internally displaced persons in Honduras will be a challenging task, with some key issues to figure out, such as:What are the best methods to find and profile the targeted population given the invisibility and low concentrationof the phenomena? What is the best strategy to collect reliable data in violence-prone areas? How to identify the main areas of reception of population that has been forcedly displaced?
Although the initial concept note and methodology proposal drafter collaboratively during the mission has tried to address some of these issues, there will be a constant need to re-visit these discussions, and consider different alternatives to be tested in the field. JIPS will support these technical discussions and engage with both national and global actors to identify appropriate solutions to these challenges.
Training and capacity building
JIPS assessment during both missions to the region is that there is certainly initial expertise and capacity from national and local actors to conduct a large scale population data collection exercise. Nonetheless, the topic of forced displacement due to new forms of violence in the region is relatively new research topic both in the region as well as at global level. In that sense, the correct understanding, identification and profiling of this situation will require a thorough training and capacity building effort, particularly in terms of terminology, alternative data collection methods, and sharing best practices from related situations. JIPS will be able to support these activities, and can also reach out to other organizations which can provide specific expertiseand technical resources.