Efforts to strengthen assistance, integration, and protection for refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities in the province of Darién have benefited more than 800 people through actions focused on humanitarian assistance, social inclusion, and livelihood support. These activities were carried out under a project implemented by the Ministry of Government of Panama, funded by the Government of Spain through the MIRPS Fund, and supported by the Department of Access to Rights of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS).
The project, "Strengthening assistance, integration, and protection for refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities in the province of Darién, with special emphasis on women, girls, boys, and adolescents," was implemented in a context of high migratory pressure in the province of Darién -one of the main transit points in the region- characterized by the arrival of thousands of people in situations of heightened vulnerability. Within this context, actions focused on reinforcing both institutional response capacities and community resilience, with a differentiated approach: on one hand, improving assistance, protection, and integration for people on the move; and on the other, supporting host communities by strengthening their livelihoods and response capacities, thereby promoting more resilient and cohesive environments.
Key results achieved from 2024 to 2025 include the delivery of 500 basic health and hygiene humanitarian assistance kits; the distribution of 230 school kits for girls, boys, and adolescents; and the implementation of training on business skills and microentrepreneurship. Additionally, 75 Indigenous women entrepreneurs from host communities received seed capital to support their productive initiatives and strengthen their economic self-sufficiency.
The results contribute not only to improving the immediate conditions of beneficiaries but also to reinforcing institutional and community capacities to provide more comprehensive and sustainable responses to the challenges associated with human mobility in the region.
The project's achievements were presented during a results launch event that brought together national authorities, technical teams, and representatives of international cooperation.
"Spain is committed to modern, shared, and results oriented cooperation, convinced that only through joint efforts can we provide effective responses to the challenges of forced displacement," stated Carmen Montón, Permanent Observer Ambassador of Spain to the OAS. "Spain's response combines technical efficiency with political empathy, because we understand that behind every statistic there are people who need protection and opportunities," she added.
For his part, Oscar Torres, Advisor to the Office of the Vice Ministry of Government of Panama, emphasized that "what has been achieved in Darién is not an isolated event. It is a model, a replicable model that integrates protection, integration, and institutional strengthening; a model that shows that when we act in a coordinated manner and with a strategic vision, it is possible to respond effectively to the challenges of human mobility."
Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, Director of the Department of Access to Rights, highlighted the importance of initiatives such as this one: "The MIRPS Fund was conceived to support States in strengthening their institutional capacities and implementing sustainable solutions. This project represents an important step toward advancing more comprehensive responses that benefit both people on the move and host communities."
The project was funded by the Government of Spain through the MIRPS Fund, a mechanism that supports States in the region in enhancing their capacities to address the challenges associated with protecting refugees and asylum seekers, guided by a human rights-based approach.
About the MIRPS Fund
The MIRPS Fund is the voluntary contributions fund of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) for forced displacement in Central America and Mexico. It was unanimously approved by the OAS Permanent Council on May 27, 2020, in compliance with the mandate issued to the OAS General Secretariat by the Organization's highest political authority during the OAS General Assembly held in 2019 in Medellín, Colombia. The MIRPS Fund is administered by the OAS Department of Access to Rights.
Created within the OAS, the MIRPS Fund is one of the mechanisms for mobilizing and channeling financial resources through voluntary contributions, enabling the seven MIRPS countries-Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama-to fulfill the commitments assumed under this process. It promotes a shared responsibility approach to addressing the challenges posed by forced displacement in the region, with the aim of protecting and improving the living conditions of displaced persons and the communities that host them.
About the MIRPS
The Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) is an innovative mechanism for implementing the Global Compact on Refugees. It facilitates regional cooperation among countries of origin, transit, and destination to promote greater shared responsibility in prevention, protection, and durable solutions in response to increasing forced displacement in Central America and Mexico. The MIRPS Technical Secretariat is jointly led by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Department of Access to Rights within the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy.
Reference: E-038/26
