• Committed to give children a voice and listen to their needs, Save the Children presents the study: "Should I stay, or should I go", which gathers the perspectives of children and adolescents from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador on their desire or not to migrate.
• Save the Children has developed a three-year strategy 2022-2024 to address the urgent needs of children and adolescents and their families in a migratory context with local solutions focused on health, education, protection networks and protection.  

June 22, 2022. Thousands of families, children and adolescents from northern Central America and Mexico live with the dilemma of choosing between staying in their countries of origin, most of them marked by contexts of violence and violation of their rights or migrating in the pursuit of new opportunities.  

This year, every hour in Latin America, at least 15 children and adolescents left their homes for other countries without the company of an adult responsible for their care.  

Save the Children has listened to the voices of children and adolescents from Northern Central America, which are reflected in the study "Should I stay, or should I go'", which counted with the participation of 122 children and adolescents between the ages of 7 and 19. The qualitative study shows the complexity of migration decisions, needs and risks faced by children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras when migration processes are unsafe. So far, more than 16 million2 people have migrated from these countries.

The regional event to launch the study "Should I stay, or should I go" and the presentation of the regional strategy: "Local Solutions: Improving quality of life and mitigating migration risks in Northern Central America, Mexico and the U.S. Border", organized by Save the Children, was the ideal space to present the results of this study and to learn more about how this organization responds to children and their families in migratory contexts.

The children and adolescents who participated in the study reflected on the need to migrate as a response to poverty and the lack of job opportunities to achieve certain educational or professional aspirations, especially for those residing in rural areas. In some cases, those who intended to migrate said they were doing so to reunite with family members who had left and to help their families. Although they know the risks of migrating in unsafe conditions, they value labor and job opportunities in other countries, some of those who wanted to migrate wanted to do so to obtain educational training and then return to their countries of origin.

The children and adolescents who participated in the study reflected on the need to migrate as a response to poverty and the lack of job opportunities to achieve certain educational or professional aspirations, especially for those residing in rural areas.  In some cases, those who intended to migrate said they were doing so to reunite with family members who had left and to help their families. 

Although they know the risks of migrating in unsafe conditions, they value labor and job opportunities in other countries more highly, some of those who wanted to migrate wanted to do so to obtain educational training and return to their country of origin.

"If getting a job and earning money were possible, we wouldn't want to move to another city... if we could work, the idea of leaving wouldn't even cross our minds" mentioned one of the adolescent participants in the study in Chiquimula, Guatemala.

Among the children and adolescents who decide to stay, the most common reason for doing so is to remain physically close to family, to remain in their communities, but they express not having opportunities as they get older.  Girls, express a greater intention to migrate than boys, but are often "immobile"; trapped by domestic obligations or even abuse and violence in the home. 

"My mom would ask me not to leave because I help her around the house," said an adolescent girl from Intibucá, Honduras.

Save the Children has worked on a regional strategy to do whatever is necessary to promote and defend the rights of children and adolescents who are in a state of vulnerability because of migration crises. 

Victoria Ward, Save the Children's Regional Director for Latin America, and the Caribbean said:

"At Save the Children we have the goal of reaching 5 million people in vulnerable situations, through our strategy to respond to the humanitarian needs of Central America and Mexico 2022-2024. The coordinated work between civil society, the public sector and the private sector will be key to ensure that children and adolescents in the region have a life with health, education, with opportunities to meet their basic needs and that they are ensured protection against all types of violence.

Save the Children has been addressing the needs of children, adolescents, and families in unsafe migration contexts in the region. Between 2016 and 2021 they have managed to reach almost 14 million people including approximately 9 million children and adolescents.  The organization has set a goal to mobilize $133 million dollars, calling for cooperation to respond to the crisis affecting children and adolescents and their families in forced or unsafe migration contexts.

The event was moderated by Will Grant, BBC correspondent in Latin America and included the participation of Nissi, adolescent from Honduras, Victoria Ward, Save the Children Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Alejandra Meglioli, Regional Director of Programs, Quality and Impact of Save the Children Latin America and the Caribbean, Mayra González, FUNDASIL representative representing civil society and Milena Grillo, PANIMOR Foundation representative.