Consolidation and Development of the Transversal Area of Human Mobility in Canelones
Department of Canelones
Governor
Francisco Legnani
Start of Project
03/09/2024
End of Project
07/08/2030
“Panoramic Atlántida” by Marcelo Campi, CC BY-SA 2.0
Overview
The Department of Canelones is committed to the consolidation and development of the Transversal Area of Human Mobility. This will include implementing departmental-level public policies that complement the national government’s actions regarding human mobility and migration, as well as establishing an institutional framework with a local presence and community-focused initiatives in Canelones.
Under this commitment, Canelones will carry out the following:
Develop a management approach based on the protection of the human rights of migrants and people on the move.
Provide protection, counselling, and assistance to migrants and people on the move, particularly those in vulnerable conditions.
Create a point of reference for Uruguayan citizens from Canelones living abroad.
Implementation will require the institutional consolidation of the Human Mobility Division, providing resources, enhancing coordination with national and international agencies and the 32 municipalities in the department, and deepening collaborative work and participatory action with civil society organizations.
Expected Impact
This initiative is expected to:
Support the exercise of rights and improve services for migrants, with a special focus on those in vulnerable situations. This includes establishing a local presence to assist the migrant population, particularly vulnerable individuals, through enhanced coordination with specialized agencies.
Ensure access to information, administrative procedures, and documentation within the region through the:
Implementation of policies and programs for the decentralization of institutional bodies within the territory to allow for better access to documentation, counseling, and administrative procedures for the migrant population.
Establishment of municipalities as information and counseling centers for migrants in the department. Canelones is a fully municipalized department. We will be able to count on 32 municipalities as partners in protecting the rights of migrants.
Deepen the general public’s understanding of migration issues and the need to combat xenophobic attitudes. Public awareness campaigns and trainings for officials and local community leaders have been implemented and will be expanded during this period.
Strengthen the coordination of policies and regulations related to human mobility and migration at the subnational government level in Uruguay, in collaboration with municipal governments in the metropolitan area and across the country.
Improving quality of life by coordinating efforts to develop programs that will enable the implementation of initiatives and programs to improve the quality of life for the migrant population and refugees.
Enhance the participation of civil society organizations in public policy actions and measures, strengthening the organized presence of migrants in the country.
Lessons Learned
The need to create spaces for inter-institutional coordination as a key factor in implementing effective public policy measures.
Within these inter-institutional spaces, it is of great importance to be able to collaborate with educational institutions, their communities, and regional and national authorities to coordinate programs that address the issue of migration and incorporate concepts of tolerance, integrated communities, and the fight against xenophobia and discrimination.
The need to maintain a regular, on-the-ground institutional presence to listen to the various issues and challenges and thereby implement tools that are truly suited to the situations at hand.
The advantages of involving municipal government actors and local leaders in managing issues related to Human Mobility and Migration. Integration and Inclusion processes in communities require the participation of these actors and civil society organizations; in particular, we find it useful to establish spaces for mediation, dialogue, and coexistence involving these actors.
The importance of having collective forums within the region where civil society can contribute, the importance of having local representatives who can convey the perspectives of migrants, refugees, and communities in general, and of working together with all of them to create collaborative spaces.
The increasingly negative treatment being given to the issue of migration on the international and regional stages, particularly with regard to decision-making regarding the formulation of restrictive migration policies that, whether intentionally or not, promote manifestations of xenophobia and discrimination, which are also transmitted through the media and social networks into community spaces.
Priority Objectives
Protecting those most vulnerable
Providing access to urban infrastructure, social services and education regardless of status
Engaging in regional and multilateral partnerships and increasing city-to-city cooperation