With the aim of implementing different work actions in response to the growing migratory flows, among them, the strengthening of the technical capacities of government and civil society personnel in migration matters from the perspective of human rights and with special focus on  addressing emergency contexts, the National Institute for Women (INAMU for its Spanish acronym) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) initiated a specialized course containing three modules on gender and migration, aimed at a total of 60 officials, including the staff of the Centers of the National Institute for Women (CINAMU), and members of the National Committee opposing Violence against Women (CONMIVU).  
 
Among the objectives of the course is to strengthen the capacities of professionals from different disciplines who provide direct attention at INAMU to women who have been victims of gender-based violence, on issues related to gender and migration, as well as attending to the specific needs of migrant women and the services available to respond to these needs. 

Likewise, it seeks to provide theoretical and practical information on gender and migration, create  competencies for the identification of the vulnerabilities and needs of women in migratory processes, and train government officials on the different services that respond to those needs and situations of vulnerabilities. 

During the opening ceremony, Nellys Herrera, General Director of INAMU, said that "as a starting point, we have decided to work on this training course because we believe in the urgent need to specialize the  professional staff of the 48 institutions that make up the network of mechanisms, as well as the 19 governmental and non-governmental institutions that make up the Committee opposing Violence against Women." 

According to IOM data, Panama has experienced since 2015 a significant increase in mixed migratory flows, mainly of nationals from Africa, Asia, Cuba, Haiti who continue to enter the country through the border with Colombia in transit to the countries of North America. In addition, the  National Migration Service estimates that the number of Venezuelan nationals who chose the country as a destination exceeds 121,000 people. 

In these flows, there are people in conditions of vulnerability such as single women with children, unaccompanied underage migrants, older adults, applicants for  refugee status, people with disabilities or belonging to the LGTBI group, victims of  human trafficking, among others.  Globally, women account for 48% of international migrants, in a  phenomenon known as the feminization of migration.

"With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges are presented for the migrant population, which translates into an unprecedented increase in pre-existing vulnerabilities, generating scenarios that hinder easy and optimal access to services and due  rights, the loss of their livelihoods, obstacles to income generation, limitations in accessing food, health services in a timely manner, which entails greater efforts and new strategies aimed at responding to migrant families," said Santiago Paz, Head of the Global Administrative Center in Panama and IOM Chief of Mission in Panama. 

For more information, please contact Mayteé Zachrisson, IOM Communications and Media System in Panama, at   mzachrisson@iom.int.