Awareness raising workshops on migration of LGBTI people

Chinandega, Nicaragua.  The International Organization for Migration (IOM), together with the Departmental Delegation of the Ministry of the Interior organized a training day sessions in Chinandega and Somotillo to strengthen the protection of LGBTI (lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, Intersex) migrant’s rights.

These workshops are aimed at officials from public institutions, organizations and civil society, social groups and LGBTI activists, with the goal of raising awareness on the challenges the LGBTI migrant population face and the main strategies for their protection and assistance.

Within the regional migratory dynamics, LGBTI people face diverse situations of discrimination and persecution due to their sexual orientation and gender identity, which becomes one of the main factors of expulsion of these populations. In addition, once on the migratory route, LGBTI people face greater situations of vulnerability as migrants: sexual harassment, abuse, extortion, as explained in the training module "Migration and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexuales ", which IOM used for the trainings.

The workshops in Chinandega and Somotillo were conducted with the support of the Nicaraguan Transgender Organization (ODETRANS) as part of the trainers.

Participants identified the main prejudices and stereotypes towards the migrant LGBTI population, in order to avoid discriminatory practices. Likewise, they highlighted the main risks and vulnerabilities of the LGBTI migrant population in the Mesoamerican region in order to contribute to institutional and community actions to promote respect their protection.