The primary purpose of this report is to recommend evidencebased strategies to improve the relevance and effectiveness of field interventions that target development outcomes for girls on the move in Central America and Mexico. This report consolidates findings from a rapid participatory consultation with: (1) migrant girls in the Southern Mexico border region, (2) front-line practitioners providing services to migrant children and their families, and (3) Save the Children teams in Mexico.
The aim of the research was to:
a) Elucidate how gender and gender norms impact girls’ decision-making and motivations to migrate from places of origin (for the purpose of this study: Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala);
b) Unpack protection risks that girls face during the early stages of transit, and which coping strategies girls employ to navigate, mitigate and respond to these risks;
c) Identify which sub-populations of migrant girls face the greatest risks. Where do the migrant girls in the most vulnerable circumstances reside, based on the assessment of risks?
d) Assess the availability of and barriers to accessing gender-sensitive services (protection, education, healthcare including sexual and reproductive healthcare, etc.) for migrant girls along targeted migration corridors;
e) Identify protective factors that can be strengthened through programming in order to attain gender equality in programme outcomes and better protect and support migrant girls during the different stages of the journey.
This report is part of a global research series on girls on the move.
