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Primary GCM Objectives

GCM Guiding Principles*

*All practices are to uphold the ten guiding principles of the GCM. This practice particularly exemplifies these listed principles.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dates

2020 - Present

Type of practice

Project/Programme

Geographic scope

Summary

“Chamas in Action” is a program that focuses on the empowerment of migrant, refugees and asylum seeker Venezuelan girls, building their leadership skills, connecting them to networks and supporting their integration into Peruvian society. In 2021, Quinta Ola in association with Manuela Ramos NGO and with the finnantial support of European Union in Peru and the German Cooperation BMZ, implemented by GIZ in Peru, developed a free training program “Chamas in Action: Sisters without Borders'' that targeted 50 Venezuelan migrants, refugees and asylum seekers girls, and offered 11 virtual mentoring sessions, 6 thematic talks, and 10 workshops to develop their social initiatives. Chamas in Action also offered the chance to participate in relevant events, initiatives and campaigns at national and international level. Besides, the initiative “Chama-Sister” contributed to the integration of peruvian and venezuelan adolescents activists’ agendas. Chamas in Action program invites parents and relatives of the venezuelan girls to take part in integration activities with the parents and relatives of Peruvian adolescent activists. In this way, “Families without Borders” was formed and Peruvian and Venezuelan families worked together to create their own initiatives for social change. In 2022, Quinta in association with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), thanks to the support of the Office of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) of the United States government developed a second a edition of the program called “Chamas in Action: For a society free of violence” focusing on the topic of violence in its different expressions and the right of girls and women to a life free of violence. The program targeted 40 Venezuelan migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, from 14 to 19 years old and was developed with full-day presential workshops where they could interact with 30 Peruvian girl activists in order to strengthen their initiatives and support networks, and propose awareness actions to build communities free of violence.

Organizations

Main Implementing Organization(s)

Quinta Ola

Detailed Information

Quinta Ola

Partner/Donor Organizations

Manuela Ramos

International Organization for Migration - IOM

Benefit and Impact

The main achievement of "Chamas in Action" in its 2 editions was to generate a safe space where all venezuelan girls migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, could learn, strengthen their capacities from a feminist, non-adult-centric and intercultural perspective. Through “Chamas in Action” they were able to recognize themselves as subjects of rights and political agents for change in social problems that they and their peers face. Through Chama-Sister, they met Peruvian adolescent allies with whom they weaved a network of support and accompaniment of peers for activism in defense of their rights. Likewise, we created a support network between Peruvian and Venezuelan families to deal with xenophobia and discrimination.

Another achievement was the articulation accomplished with one of the community media outlets with the greatest reach in Peru, where a migrant adolescent of our program published an opinion article for the first time. This publication made it possible to amplify the voices of Venezuelan girls and talk about the particular violence they face as adolescents, women and migrants, in order to raise awareness in the host community. In our writing workshops, the adolescents felt accompanied and with the power to transmit their ideas and concerns from their own voice, and in general, throughout the entire program they were provided with tools to defend their rights, strengthen their skills, abilities, self-esteem and agency.

Key Lessons

Some of the challenges experienced while implementing the program and that began to notice in the first edition of the program, were connected to the conditions of the girls regarding their mental health and the weakening of their livelihoods. The first, regarding the migratory process they experienced, which is geared to those situations of gender violence that they have experienced or are still living in spaces considered "socially safe" such as homes, schools, public transport, etc. This situation worsens with the prejudices and stereotypes of hypersexualization associated with Venezuelan adolescents and women in a country that they do not feel as their own. In addition, some of the participants of the program mentioned that they are unaware of the reporting routes or simply do not want to report situations of harassment and other kind of violence because they believe that the Peruvian justice entities will not listen to them or, worse yet, that they will be re-victimized by them.

The second refers to the fact that some families did not have sufficient economic means or support networks to be able to pay the rent for their home, food or cover the cost of medicines. Some of the adolescents decided to leave school to work and thus contribute to the family economy, or to emigrate to another country where they and their families can find better opportunities.

Therefore, it was necessary to establish articulations with other organizations that develop programs aimed at adolescents and the migrant population in general. As a grassroots organization, we articulated and build bridges with migrant and refugee organizations such as Veneactiva and Unión Venezolana, and international organizations such as HIAS to refer cases that require long-term psychosocial and humanitarian support.

For the second edition of the program and taking the takeaways of the first year, from the beginning of the project design we established a transversal strategy of articulation with organizations that could help with the needs of the girls participating in our program as well as their families.

Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)

1. Although the program is adaptable virtually, it is suggested to do it in person since it generates more noticeable impacts from the first meetings with the participants.

2. It is recommended to dedicate at least 2 months to the recruitment process that should be reinforced through the media and allied organizations of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; as well as social networks and community strategies.
3. Culminate the program with a campaign so adolescents can put what they have learned into practice.

4. Articulate with local grassroots organizations and state institutions that can provide sustainability to the actions. Their support can be key both for the provision of locations for activities, and even to ensure psychosocial support within the framework of the intervention.

5. Maintain the role of chaperone/mentor throughout the process. They must be Venezuelan women.

6. Maintain articulation with adolescent activists from the host community.

7. The evaluations should focus on the self-perception of skills and knowledge, in addition to the perception of the strengthening of their support networks.

Innovation

“Chamas in Action” in its first edition had three intervention strategies i) the empowerment program aimed at 50 Venezuelan adolescents aged 13 to 17 living in Lima and Callao, and the community integration programs ii) “Families Without Borders”, addressed to the Peruvian and Venezuelan families of the adolescents participating in the project, and iii) “Chama-Sister”, addressed to 30 Peruvian adolescent activists. Likewise, in its second edition, the “Chama- Sister” strategy was maintained. In other words, "Chamas in Action" not only provides tools for capacity building, but also generates spaces for integration with the host community, so that adolescents feel supported by a community for the defense of their rights.
In addition, this program has been awarded the Innovation Award 2022 for the America Region from the UNHCR in recognition of its impact with venezuelan and peruvian girls as well as their families.

Additional Resources

Chamas en acción. Hermanas sin Fronteras

https://quintaola.org/chamas-en-accion-por-una-sociedad-sin-violencia/

https://quintaola.org/chamas-en-accion-hermanas-sin-fronteras/

Media

Las voces de las #ChamasenAcción 2022

Additional Images

Date submitted:

12 May 2022

Disclaimer: The content of this practice reflects the views of the implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Network on Migration, and its members.