El Salvador - IOM and El Salvador’s Office for the Defence of Human Rights (PDDH) have organized a forum on Internal Displacement and Assistance to Victims: The Colombian Experience.

The event was designed to share best practices and to promote the discussion of internal displacement in El Salvador, based on the experience of Colombia.

It was opened by IOM Chief of Mission in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Jorge Peraza and Attorney for the Defence of Human Rights in El Salvador, David Ernesto Morales. Participants included officials from the governments of El Salvador and Colombia, international organizations and civil society.

Topics discussed included internal displacement in Colombia and the government's response; strategies to prevent the recruitment and trafficking of displaced children and young people; and IOM´s experience of developing programmes for displaced populations.

Attorney Morales noted that forced displacement in El Salvador is the result of multiple factors, including rising violence, organized crime, and failure to protect people’s economic, social and cultural rights. “Multiple, cumulative violations of fundamental rights take place prior to displacement,” he said.

“The PDDH, with the support of civil society, has adopted guidelines to assist victims forcibly displaced by social violence and organized crime,” he noted.

IOM Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean Marcelo Pisani welcomed the forum and said that IOM works to promote joint efforts on behalf of displaced populations worldwide. It also recognizes the progress made to date by the Salvadoran State.

“Successful experiences in the region can be adopted by other countries to generate new laws, policies and national plans. IOM pledges to continue to support all actions aimed at guaranteeing the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable," he said.

For more information, please contact Alba Amaya at IOM El Salvador, Tel: +503 2521 0500, Email: aamaya@iom.int