UN warns of irregular feminization of migration to US

UN warns of irregular “feminization of migration” to US

UN warns of irregular feminization of migration to US

Women and girls are one of the most vulnerable groups in the irregular migration flow heading to the United States, an official UN report revealed this Saturday. Photo: Getty Images

Women and girls are one of the most vulnerable groups in the irregular migration flow heading to the United States, an official UN report revealed this Saturday.

According to the study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which is part of the United Nations system, Women make up 51% of the total mobility population in the region, a figure higher than the world average which is 48.1%.

According to the document, The “feminization of migration” is associated with changes in the role of women in irregular migration flowsthat is, they went from dependent wives and daughters at home to active subjects and, in some cases, breadwinners of their families.

The research adds that women’s migration in Central America and the Dominican Republic focuses on economic, socio-political and environmental issues, the latter to a lesser extent.

It also clarifies that So far in 2022, of the 71,012 people who have used the dangerous Darien Jungle on the Panama-Colombia border as a road, 18,090 have been women.

That irregular migration has a female face is nothing new, according to IOM project coordinator Paola Zepeda, what makes it special is that they migrate of their own choosing, in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families.

Zepeda, who visited Darién, argued that the jungle is one of the most important transit points in the region and through which a significant number of migrant women circulate, who are often exposed to situations of violence.

Zepeda stated that migration should not be stigmatized. “We must work to address the root causes and give women opportunities in their countries of origin.”

(With information from Prensa Latina)