Lack of employment of Central American youth promotes migration, alert Cepal
The jobs that Central America generates are insufficient to serve the young population that joins the labor market, which triggers thousands of them to end up emigrating, said today the executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Alicia Bárcena.
"The jobs are insufficient for a subregion that is young", and in which more than 600,000 young people seek to enter the labor market, he said during his presentation at the "Central America and Mexico at the Crossroads Today" colloquium.
However, Central America only generates around 250,000 new jobs.
It is estimated that "at least 250,000 Central Americans are looking to emigrate from their countries, and more than half are young," said the Mexican.
Bárcena said that when looking at the causes of migration, the lack of employment and economic crises in the place of origin occupy the first position.
These factors are the starting point for 71.5% of Honduran migrants, 57% of Guatemalans and 62.4% of Salvadorans.
Other causes are low income, violence and insecurity (which are an important factor, especially in El Salvador) and family reasons, in this order.
Currently, Mexico is in the eye of the hurricane on the issue of migration, due to the massive caravan of Hondurans that crosses the country, which has been added a second contingent that recently arrived at the border with Guatemala.
Yesterday, during the attempt of a group to cross the border, there were clashes between the migrants and the Mexican federal police. According to Guatemalan volunteer firefighters, a Honduran was killed by a rubber bullet, information that Mexico rejected, claiming that its agents are not armed.
In reference to the migration crisis, Bárcena insisted that you can not "dissuade people by force".
"I do not think it's the road at all, mobility has to enrich nations," he said.
He argued that migration has been "stigmatized" and that in Mexico "there is still a need to deeply analyze the profile of the migrant, because we are not clear about it".
"We have dedicated ourselves to contain, not even to dissuade, to contain, and I think that is not the way, we have to understand in depth who they are, what they are coming from, what are the root causes," the secretary remarked.
To contribute to the development of the Central American countries, Bárcena opted to put "equality at the center of the strategy," and "to have a joint development project in the region."
"We have to deepen the integration, especially in the complex global context, is the way to reduce exposure to protectionism," said the ECLAC representative, who also mentioned ideas such as supporting diversification, create scientific and technological capabilities and incorporate SMEs to value chains.
