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Situational Highlights • On 16 September 2020, UNHCR and the
Government of El Salvador signed an Accord de Siege to facilitate
the presence
of UNHCR in the country and since 1 January 2021 UNHCR has the
status of a Representation.
• Presidential Commissioner, Carolina Recinos, expressed concern
over the increase in COVID-19 cases and warned about a risk to
hospital capacity and health care in the country. Furthermore, the
Government informed that 80 per cent of the confirmed cases show no
symptoms. Severe cases have increased by 44 per cent since December
2020.
• According to a public opinion research conducted by the
Central American University “José Simeón Cañas” (UCA), at the end
of 2020 approximately three out of 10 Salvadorans stated they
wanted to migrate or move to another country. In addition, 2.4 per
cent of respondents expressed they had to leave their residence to
protect themselves or their families from a threat or violence
during 2020.
UNHCR’s Response In El Salvador, UNHCR seeks to promote that all
displaced persons can find protection from harm, live peacefully
and flourish as contributing members of their communities, and find
long term solutions to build their future. UNHCR has placed
protection and solutions at the center of all community
interventions through direct engagement with communities and
internally displaced persons.
Furthermore, UNHCR participates in the Humanitarian Country Team
and contributes to UN System-wide and government led prevention and
response to emergencies.
Key Figures
UNHCR is appealing for USD
19 million to support
vulnerable
people in need of protection in El
Salvador.
EL SALVADOR – External Update 1
January 2021
4,072 hygiene kits delivered
through local municipalities to
support displaced
persons in response to
COVID-19.
53,989 confirmed
cases of COVID-19 and 1,599 deaths
by 27 January 2021 according to
the Government of
El Salvador.
https://www.uca.edu.sv/iudop/wp-content/uploads/BOLET%c3%8dN-EV-A%c3%91O-2020-Nacional.pdf
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Protection
• UNHCR and the Refugee Status Determination National Commission
(CODER) will continue collaborating in 2021 on capacity building,
provision of humanitarian assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees
and dissemination at borders points of information on the right to
seek asylum and how to access asylum procedures. Additionally,
UNHCR supports CODER´s operational capacity by sponsoring two
technical positions. These additional resources will allow CODER to
comply timely with the 30-day processing time defined by law and to
determine asylum claims.
• UNHCR accompanies the General Directorate for Migration and
Foreigners (DGME) at the El Salvador international airport to
support the reception process for deportees and strengthen the
identification of deportees with protection needs by working
alongside with the personnel of the DGME. Items donated by UNHCR
are given to deportees, namely hygiene kits and backpacks to store
their personal items.
Gender-Based Violence
• In January, UNHCR and the Ministry of Local Development
(MINDEL) developed a workplan to strengthen Ciudad Mujer´s staff in
technical capacities covering topics such as child protection, AGD
approach, and GBV. Ciudad Mujer is a centre created by the
government where women can access specific services with an
integral approach. The establishment of women’s groups in Ciudad
Mujer involves displaced and returnee women with protection needs,
where UNHCR will be providing trainings on leadership, GBV, women
rights and rights of forcibly displaced persons, amongst
others.
COVID-19
• Through virtual groups with community leaders, UNHCR is
monitoring the effects of the new outbreak of COVID-19 infections,
its impact on the socio-economic reality of the prioritized
communities, and the occurrence of protection incidents.
Additionally, UNHCR provides guidance on the consultations with the
community leaders where reminders on preventive measures for
COVID-19 were carried out among community groups with community
leaders from Usulután and La Paz departments.
Humanitarian Assistance
• Under the response to humanitarian assistance through CBI, 326
households (comprising 1,251 individuals) received cash support to
cover basic needs for a total amount of USD 270,000.
• UNHCR participated in the second technical workshop organized
by the Cash Working Group (GMTE) and successfully advocated to
include the response to victims of widespread violence, including
displaced persons, among the general CBI emergency response.
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UNHCR delivers hygiene kits in response to COVID-19. Photo:
UNHCR / Óscar Ramírez
Government and Inter-agency Coordination
• UNHCR has engaged in the drafting of the new UN Sustainable
Development Cooperation Framework in El Salvador for 2022-2026. The
Framework will be defined in the following months in close
coordination with UN agencies, funds and programmes and relevant
government entities. The new Cooperation Framework will include for
the first time the addressing of forced displacement as a
priority.
• UNHCR is supporting the government in the definition of its
MIRPS priorities for 2021, which will include advocacy and closer
collaboration with key actors, and efforts to advance different
commitments, particularly in protection and livelihoods. Among
priorities, continued capacity-building activities and promotion of
the whole-of-society approach to address forced displacement in the
country will also be developed.
• UNHCR is conducting an evaluation of communication needs of
people of concern to UNHCR in El Salvador. This study will allow
UNHCR to better design communication strategies and tools for
communication with communities.
• During the reporting period, the University of Central America
presented the final version of a stop-motion short film on forced
displacement produced by the Communications Department of the
university. The film showcases the human drama of forced
displacement in El Salvador and is accompanied by three animated
testimonies. The audio-visual products will be launched in
2021.
Funding UNHCR is appealing for USD 19 million to support
vulnerable people in need of protection in El Salvador. The best
way to support UNHCR’s appeal is through unearmarked contributions.
Such flexible funding at global level will be key in allowing a
timely response to the evolving needs wherever required.
UNHCR is thankful to the donors who provide funds to El
Salvador:
Belgium | Denmark | European Union | Germany | Ireland |
Netherlands | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | United States of
America | UN Peacebuilding Fund
For more information, please contact: Salvador Santiesteban,
Reporting Officer, [email protected] Twitter: @ACNURamericas
