UNHCR released its March protection monitoring for the Darien region in Panama. Please find statistics, highlights and the link below.
TRYING to reach America at the Southern U.S./ Mexico border is extremely dangerous . Africans including LGBTI are increasingly attempting what has resulted in death for so many forcibly displaced migrants from Central America and other regions. Here is new stat report. We do not encourage this journey by any means. It can get you hurt and killed. With that said we are seeing an increasing number make it through.
Official statistics:
Official figures show that 520,085 people crossed the Darien jungle on foot in 2023. This figure surpasses the record of 2022, when 250,000 refugees and migrants made this journey. They were mainly nationals of Venezuela (63%), Ecuador (11%), Haiti (9%), China and Colombia, and children of Haitian parents born in Chile and Brazil. Other nationalities represented are Afghanistan, Nepal, and Peru.
By the end of March 2024, 110,008 people had crossed, compared to the 87,390 who crossed during the same period last year. This represents a 26% increase in crossings. Most people who crossed in 2024 are from Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti, Colombia, and China.
At least 113,180 children crossed Darien in 2023, of which 15 were born in the Panamanian jungle. So far, in 2024, more than 15,993 children have crossed, and two children were born in Panama’s Darien jungle.
Highlights from UNHCR Border Protection Monitoring:
More than half of the people interviewed (55%) reported leaving their country of origin due to general insecurity and due to threats, intimidation, and violence (16%), among other reasons. UNHCR has continued to identify recognized refugees travelling in mixed movements, including refugees undergoing resettlement processes.
Nearly three in five (58%) had applied for legal status in their previous country of residence, and 27% reported having valid documentation from that country.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) reported travelling with family, and one-quarter (25%) reported traveling alone or with unrelated companions. Those travelling with children had an average of 2 children, 40% under five.
As more people cross the jungle with family members, the number of people reporting going to the United States for family reunification increases slightly. Often, family members have travelled to the US through the Darien jungle or legal pathways from their country of origin/residence.
The number of people who report travelling with survivors of violence (sexual, physical, or psychological) has been steadily increasing during 2024, reaching 15% in March, a 66% increase from the previous month. This figure likely represents an underestimation of incidents.
Lack of passports and valid documentation in the last country of residence continues to challenge Venezuelans in accessing temporary residency programs and parole.
