Resilience through socio economic inclusion of displacement-affected populations in Costa Rica

The project was implemented by Fundación Mujer (FM) and Fundación Ayuda en Acción (AeA) in Costa Rica. It began in February 2022 and ended in January 2025.

This practice promotes sustainable socioeconomic integration of displaced people and host communities in Costa Rica. It combines job placement, vocational training, and entrepreneurship interventions with protection components, including psychosocial and legal support. The initiative improves educational quality and access to rights information for youth, while incorporating community-based disaster risk reduction. Aligning with MIRPS commitments, it humanizes services jointly with public and private sector actors, addressing displacement comprehensively.

This good practice aimed to achieve three main objectives:

1. Promote the inclusion of displaced people in host communities through socioeconomic activities that foster resilience and shared development.
2. Strengthen the sense of security and respect for human rights among both displaced people and host communities. This was accomplished by addressing violence prevention, including gender-based violence, at personal, family, and community levels and beyond.
3. Enhance prevention and protection against climate-related disasters and displacement. Specifically, it focused on im-proving the skills and capacities of displaced people and host communities in managing early warning systems and developing resilient livelihoods.

A group of women who want to work learned business management and to be our own employers. This is how we realized that we are capable and we can handle any task that is given to us.

- Female participant of business management

Main activities of the Good Practice

This practice encompassed a wide range of protection, livelihood support and disaster risk reduction activities. Protection efforts included developing an advocacy plan to raise awareness of Costa Rica's MIRPS commitments among local authorities, creating tailored training for public and private sector workers on assisting displaced people, and implementing gender violence prevention through campaigns and group work with specialized entities for legal, sexual health, and psychosocial support.

Educational robotics training focused on children's rights, while a workshop on positive masculinities was conducted with Upala's public forces. Capacity building was undertaken based on community risk understanding, developed at both the municipal and community levels, monitoring and impact analysis, and defining alert communication protocols.

Management tools such as emergency response plans, risk maps, and early warning systems were developed, complemented by simulation exercises. An information campaign and small-scale mitigation measures addressed climate change impacts on displacement, including improvements to shelter infrastructure and livelihood protection projects.

By knowing my rights I can have them respected and thus obtain a decent job with a competitive salary.

- Participant of the project’s employability programme

Elements which helped facilitate the implementation of the good practice

The practice was built on strong pre-existing relationships with authorities and the private sector, which were expanded and further interconnected. Each project partner brought complementary networks and expertise: while AeA had an extensive network of connections with various national and local authorities, FM had developed a significant network with private-sector actors. These complementary networks were then leveraged to provide the best possible support to those affected by displacement.

The partners' ability to integrate various components to maximize impact and provide comprehensive support. The project launched an integrated multi-sector action: several themes reinforced each other as many activities were carried out in the same communities. For example: Under the economic development theme, the Las Brumas II association of small black bean producers received training in business management and equipment to measure bean grain humidity at marketing time, essential for better prices. Within the framework of disaster and climate-related mitigation measures, this community received tarps to build a greenhouse and establish a drying shed, allowing harvesting in rainy periods. Mesh was provided for cleaning and sorting beans. Prior to packaging, materials were also delivered to ensure product fumigation, which generated greater profits. Another example: coordination was developed with the National Meteorological Institute, municipal government, and communities to install meteorological stations with sensors for early warning, along with the delivery of radio communication equipment to activate alarms in case of possible floods. This provided a 1 to 3-hour window to safeguard the population and protect their livelihoods. A total of 30 radio units were distributed across 26 communities in the 4 cantons of Upala, Guatuso, La Cruz, and Los Chiles to prevent and save lives, as well as protect livelihoods. The same communities were also offered workshops and training processes to strengthen competencies and skills, providing job opportunities and promoting entrepreneurship to generate livelihoods that fostered integration into host communities.

The creation of support networks between refugees and local communities, which encouraged inclusion and the exchange of experiences, resulting in mutual enrichment. Raising awareness among the local population about the situation of refugees also helped reduce stigma and promote integration.

The project's methodological approach focused on promoting local ownership through collaboration with authorities and people affected by displacement. From the beginning, the project was aligned with the goals, policies, and strategies of the local government, identifying the priorities of each territory, integrating the authorities in planning, and obtaining their commitment to support the project. In this way, project partners complemented and strengthened the local government's response to the displacement crisis.

The collaboration of displacement-affected people was equally crucial: while AeA provided construction materials, affected people contributed to the establishment of the works and managed the necessary recommendations and permits with the authorities.

Due to the knowledge acquired, we realize what our duties and rights are and thus we practice mutual respect.

- Participant of the project’s employability programme

Partners involved

• Funded by: the EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity Grant Facility
• Authorities: Local Governments of Upala, La Cruz, Guatuso, Los Chiles and Alajuelita, VIF Networks, Local Human Mobility Roundtables, Cantonal Institutional Coordination Councils, Ministry of Health, Costa Rican Social Security Fund, UNHCR, IOM, PADF, Comprehensive Development Associations , Cantonal Emergency Committees, Communal Emergency Committees, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Institute of Rural Development, State Distance University, National Learning Institute, National Emergency Committee, Vice Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Public Education, Territorial Roundtables Human Mobility, National Institute for Women, General Directorate of Small and Medium Enterprises, Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
• Private sector actors:
  Local:TICO FRUT, CIAGRO Las Brisas SA, NICOVERDE, LUCIALVA SA, HeartGreen SA, Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of the Northern Zone, Honduran Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Bijagua Chamber of Tourism, Department of Economic Development and Public Library of the Municipality of Upala, State Distance University, National Learning Institute, Professional Technical College of Upala.
  National:Diverse Chamber of Commerce, Costa Rica Chamber of Commerce, Institute of Studies for Central American Development, Fidélitas University, Latin American University of Science and Technology, Honduran Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Pizza Hut, VIANT Medical, Western Union, ACCENTURE, Urocosta, DHL, Coca Cola, Starkbuks, Eulen, Distribuidora Mauli, Rostipollos, REM Soluciones, Lago y Sarmiento, BAXTER, University of Costa Rica, Universidad Latina, Universidad Nacional, I join BAC.

What challenges were encountered in delivering the project and how were they overcome?

Challenges

1. The implementation of the MIRPS awareness process was hindered by the rotation and limited schedules of key institutional actors, including agents of the Public Force, Professional Immigration Police, and Border Police.
2. The change due to elections in both central and local governments presented a significant challenge. It necessitated renewed efforts to raise awareness among the new authorities and to publicize the project, aiming to generate coordination with the various institutions related to its objectives.
3. While entrepreneurship and training activities were welcomed by displacement-affected persons, job placement proved to be more difficult, prompting the partners to assess how they could revise their approach to generate better rates of employment. A more sector-specific and tailor-made approach with private sector actors that goes beyond incentivizing job placements is recommended for future programming.
4. Working with women on gender violence issues proved challenging, as it involved addressing sexuality, which is often considered a taboo and socially prohibited topic.

How they were overcome

1. Meetings were held in each region to define two dates and times to ensure higher participation of border personnel in humanization workshops.
2. Awareness-raising activities were conducted with new authorities and public officials to present the project and promote interest in collaborative work to achieve the project's objectives.
3. The practice identified and addressed barriers vulnerable people face in accessing employment through labor intermediation, including lack of technical skills and regularization documentation. Consequently, it focused more on developing technical training programs in high-demand areas such as Costa Rican Cuisine and Baking, Painting, Repair, and Plumbing courses, and on supporting people with immigration regularization. The practice also explored ways to launch social responsibility projects with the private sector, such as a Basic Mechanics Course conducted in collaboration with a company needing that occupational profile.
4. The use of recreational methodologies like art therapy, dance therapy, and film forums facilitated more active participation and better understanding of sexuality and gender violence issues. These strategies promoted comprehensive and collective learning, enhanced information retention, and motivated participants to share acquired knowledge with their families. This approach raised awareness about the importance of self-care and various self-care practices, contributing significantly to participants' empowerment and well-being.

Carrying out an analysis of the business model was super useful because we realized the opportunities for improvements in our venture and now we know what the problem is and how to address it so that the business can move forward.

- Participant of business management training programme

Results of the Good Practice

• 809 displaced persons have Improved their understanding of business and pricing.
• 222 operational level officials Increased the awareness of MIRPS commitments among public and private actors.
• 941 women were empowered with a greater understanding of their rights and protection mechanisms, contributing to breaking the cycles of gender-based violence.
• 27 practical early warning systems, which are designed to contribute to livelihood protection in emergencies, have been adapted.
• Financial support was provided to 1,228 highly vulnerable individuals through prepaid cards for basic necessities.
• As a result of the project, 101 participants were employed or had access to other sources of income (through entrepreneurship), while 1,339 had received social protection services.

In what way does the good practice meet one or more of the four objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees?

Objective 1: Ease the pressures on host countries

The practice promotes awareness among local Costa Rican authorities about MIRPS commitments elaborated by the national authorities, strengthening capacities to address the needs of displaced people more effectively. By adopting a community-based approach, it benefits both host community members (often including second-generation refugees) and refugees/migrants. This strategy has empowered these communities, enhancing their resilience.

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

The project takes a holistic approach to enhance refugees' self-reliance. It improves basic job-seeking skills and provides placement assistance with committed companies. The practice develops self-employment training and enhances business management knowledge for individual entrepreneurs and community-level associated groups. Furthermore, the project promotes violence-free spaces through protection mechanisms and builds capacity to respond to climate events.

Next steps

A key component of the project strategy involved the transfer of knowledge and capacity to local authorities and institutions. Through training programmes, collaborative projects, and ongoing support, the project is working to empower these entities to continue and expand upon the initiatives they have implemented. The goal is to build capabilities and lay the foundation for further engagement of the local institutions, even after the direct involvement of the project concludes.

Are there areas in which support would be required to continue and/or scale up your good practice?

Partnering with public and private actors would benefit from longer term engagement to ensure the sustainability of this project. Advocacy at the national level would be of benefit to future interventions.