New Partnership to Protect 14,000 Refugee and Migrant Women and Girls in Panama and Costa Rica  

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA – HIAS and UN Women are launching a cross-country collaboration to provide services to more than 14,000 women and girls in Costa Rica and Panama. Through the Journeys (Trayectos) program, HIAS and UN women will work to promote the empowerment of women and facilitate access to needed health and protective services. 

“Trayectos encourages women to lead, participate, and benefit equally from protection and social cohesion services along migration routes,” said María Noel Vaeza, regional director for the Americas and the Caribbean at UN Women. 

Refugee and migrant women and girls face constant risks along their journeys, including physical and sexual violence, human trafficking, and smuggling. These risks make it more challenging for women to access services, particularly given that the capacity to address the specific needs of women and girls are often limited in local communities. 

“The Trayectos project between UN Women and HIAS brings essential services for the protection of girls and women, prioritizing their empowerment and resilience,” said Cristina García, senior vice president, Latin America and the Caribbean, for HIAS.