Migrants Will Have Access to Reliable Information Thanks to the Opening of Two New Information Hubs in Petén

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the National Association of Municipalities of Guatemala (ANAM) opened two Information Hubs on Migration in the municipalities of La Libertad and Melchor de Mencos, in Petén, to provide information and clear, reliable, and direct advice to migrants and promote safe and orderly migration. 

Municipal corporations will be responsible for the operation of these Hubs, and the activities planned include training sessions with community actors on the risks of irregular migration and mechanisms for regularization, training processes for migrants and their families, and continuous work to prevent irregular migration in the department’s 14 municipalities. 

This strategy represents a step forward for the department of Petén in terms of assistance and care, mainly for migrants who face situations of vulnerability such as unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, LGTBIQ+ groups, migrants with disabilities and migrants with special health conditions. 

"When migrants lack reliable and verified sources of information, they become more vulnerable to trafficking networks or groups that smuggle migrants; they are also more vulnerable to the risks and dangers posed by irregular migration in the region, "said Jorge Peraza, IOM Chief of Mission for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. 

The Information Hubs on Migration contribute to better migration management, promote the protection of migrants, facilitate free access to relevant, immediate, and personalized information, implement community and recreational activities as a means of communication, responding to the needs of the migration context, update general information on migration trends and dynamics, and generate a comprehensive dialogue with the community to overcome negative stereotypes about migration. 

In Guatemala, IOM has supported the installation of seven Information Hubs located in La Esperanza, San Mateo, Salcajá, Sibilia, San Miguel Sigüilá and the headquarters of the ACD Association, in Quetzaltenango; and in Tacaná and the departmental capital of San Marcos. 

The Information Hubs on Migration are implemented in coordination with local governments, under IOM’s Western Hemisphere Program, funded by the United States Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.