Multi-stakeholder Pledge: MIRPS – Strengthening asylum systems, integration, local governance and statistical inclusion

Key outcome

Commitments that form part of this multi-stakeholder pledge will:

• Contribute to strengthening the fairness, efficiency, adaptability, sustainability, and integrity of national asylum systems in the States that from part of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) through financial, technical, or material support.
• Contribute to the expansion of opportunities for integration, through initiatives that promote employment, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and inclusion in national social protection systems, among others, along with host communities and key partners such as the private sector.
• Support policies or other initiatives led by or in coordination with local governments and institutions, which will improve de-facto inclusion of forcibly displaced and stateless persons to essential services, systems and programmes, such as employment and livelihoods, health, education, and other socio-economic services, by removing or mitigating existing legal, bureaucratic and social barriers. Additionally, these initiatives may result in improved coordination at the local level, and information-provision and referral pathways to ensure access to protection and assistance.
• Strengthen national capacities to create, manage, and update data on displaced persons, such as refugees, asylum-seekers, and internal displaced persons, and stateless persons, through national statistics. This will also result in improved monitoring and analysis of data that can impact decision-making and programming, related to both protection and solutions.

Background

The MIRPS is a concrete application of the Global Compact on Refugees in the Americas, which encourages regional cooperation among countries of origin, transit, and destination for greater responsibility sharing in matters of prevention, protection and durable solutions. MIRPS States include Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama. 

The MIRPS Support Platform was launched in December 2019 on the occasion of the first Global Refugee Forum. It supports the efforts of the MIRPS countries in offering protection and solutions to forced displacement in Central America and Mexico, and serves as a mechanism for greater responsibility sharing, as called for in the Global Compact on Refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Organization of American States (OAS) jointly form the Secretariat for the MIRPS and the MIRPS Support Platform.

Pledge description

Commitments to this pledge may contribute to one or more of four key areas:

1. In support of the Multi-stakeholder Pledge on Asylum Capacity and in the framework of the MIRPS Working Group on Strengthening Asylum Systems, MIRPS States commit to continue strengthening national institutions responsible for refugee status determination processes by improving technical capacities and developing national asylum procedures, systems and practices that enhance efficiency, fairness and quality, in accordance with the capacity and needs of each country and with the support and assistance of members of the MIRPS Support Platform, UNHCR, OAS, and other partnerships.
2. In support of the Multi-stakeholder Pledge on Economic Inclusion and Social Protection, and in the framework of the MIRPS Working Group on Jobs and Livelihoods, the MIRPS countries commit to promoting the self-reliance of refugees and other displaced or stateless communities by facilitating access to decent work and entrepreneurship, through the employability mechanisms of involved government institutions;  national legislation and relevant policies; and by facilitating the recognition of competencies, knowledge and skills, with the support and assistance of the members of the MIRPS Support Platform, and in partnership with the private sector and civil society.
3. In support of the Multi-stakeholder Pledge: Call to Local Action for Refugees and Migrants, and in the framework of the MIRPS Working Group on Local Governance, the municipalities that form the Group commit to promoting the leadership of local governments and strengthen coordination with relevant institutions to facilitate the integration at the local level of displaced persons, together with their host communities.
4. In support of the Multistakeholder Pledge: Inclusion of Forcibly Displaced and Stateless Persons in National Statistical Systems and Surveys, MIRPS States commit to furthering systematic inclusion in data collection efforts, including through identification questions and solutions indicators in national population censuses and household surveys, as appropriate, to enable data disaggregation and reporting on forcibly displaced- refugees, asylum seekers, people with protection needs, internally displaced (as applicable) and stateless persons, with the support and assistance of members of the MIRPS Support Platform and other partnerships.

Leadership

Asylum Capacity

Developed within the MIRPS Working Group on Strengthening Asylum Systems, led by the Government of Mexico, and the Government of Panama as the 2023 MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency.

Integration

Developed within the MIRPS Working Group on Jobs and Livelihoods, led by Costa Rica, and the Government of Panama as the 2023 MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency.

Local Governance

Developed within the MIRPS Working Group on Local Governance and the Government of Panama as the lead of the Working Group and the 2023 MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency.

Statistical Inclusion

Government of Panama as 2023 MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency.

Contact details

MIRPS Technical Secretariat, [email protected]