Within the framework of the Work Programme for 2022–2026 (SP/CL/LO/D No. 4-24) of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), under the Social Development Area, Programme III: Promoting a comprehensive vision of human mobility, the II Virtual Workshop: “Strategies for the integration of migrant women and girls: employment and youth” will be held on 21 October 2025, in partnership with the Regional Network of Civil Organisations for Migration (RROCM) and with the collaboration of UN Women and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UN Women, the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

This activity continues and complements the efforts launched in 2024 with the first edition of the Virtual Workshop: “Strategies for the integration of migrant women and girls,” addressing the emerging needs of migrant women and girls in the region, who constitute 48.1% of the international migrant population[1] (IOM, 2024). In terms of youth labour market integration, the unemployment rate in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was 13.5% in 2023, tripling the adult rate of 5.0%. In addition, approximately 60% of young people in employment are in informal jobs, which limits their access to decent working conditions and social security (ILO, 2025).[2]

In this context, the consolidation of technical capacities and the development of public policies based on gender, human rights and intersectionality approaches will be promoted, with the aim of contributing to the full social and labour inclusion of these populations, overcoming the structural barriers that hinder their access to rights, decent employment and socio-economic autonomy. The event will also be enriched by the experiences and lessons learned from the first edition, updating the handbook of best practices launched in 2024 with the inputs provided in this new cycle, incorporating new strategies focused on employment, entrepreneurship and vocational training for migrant women.

Although the first edition made considerable progress in policy formulation and the promotion of best practices, including the recognition of migrant qualifications, the reduction of language barriers, and the prevention of gender-based violence and discrimination, it is essential to recognise that systemic challenges remain in ensuring full access to rights and formal employment.

In this context, SELA, in its strategic role as a regional coordinator and promoter of multisectoral cooperation, reaffirms its commitment to promoting initiatives that strengthen the autonomy, empowerment and full integration of migrant women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). To that end, it develops partnerships with multilateral, regional, subregional, and civil society organisations, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Women, the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among other specialized institutions in the region, as well as with migration networks such as the South American Conference on Migration (CSM), the Regional Conference on Migration (CRM), and the Regional Network of Civil Society Organizations for Migration (RROCM).

Furthermore, SELA plays a fundamental role in generating recommendations for the International Migration Review Forum (FEMI) 2026. Through its Migration Observatory, it contributes to this regional and global platform that facilitates the assessment of progress, identifies gaps and promotes multilateral dialogue, with the aim of consolidating inclusive, secure and human rights-based migration governance.

In this regard, the II Virtual Workshop contributes directly to the processes and outcomes of FEMI 2026 by presenting and compiling evidence and experiences that support the coordination of public policies aimed at ensuring the sustainable socioeconomic inclusion of these populations.

These joint efforts are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals[3], in particular with the goals of Gender Equality (5); Decent Work and Economic Growth (8); and Reduced Inequalities (10), consolidating a comprehensive and intersectoral approach that promotes the employability, autonomy, and socioeconomic integration of migrant women and girls in the region.

[1]The International Organisation for Migration (IOM, 2024) World Migration Report 2024 presents an up-to-date and balanced analysis of global migration trends and challenges, providing statistical data and focusing on emerging issues. Its aim is to improve understanding of human mobility and provide a framework for the formulation of comprehensive migration policies. https://publications.iom.int/books/informe-sobre-las-migraciones-en-el-mundo-2024

[2]The report “Youth in transition: trends and challenges for youth labour market integration in Latin America and the Caribbean” (International Labour Organisation [ILO], 2025) analyses the youth employment situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the high rates of unemployment and informal work among young people. It emphasises structural challenges, the gender gap and the need for inclusive policies to facilitate the transition to quality jobs and promote equal employment opportunities.

https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/202502/Informe%20juventud%20en%20cambio%202025.pdf 

[3] United Nations (2025). The 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/

Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is indeed a complex and dynamic phenomenon, characterised by the growing and significant participation of migrant women and girls, including young women and adolescents. These populations face specific challenges in their mobility processes, which are intrinsically linked to access to employment opportunities, vocational training and the full exercise of their rights (IOM, 2024).

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM, 2024), in its World Migration Report 2024, women accounted for 48.1% of the international migrant population in 2020, reaching approximately 135 million people, a figure that has grown considerably from the 86 million recorded in 2000. This increase reaffirms the active role they play in migration processes.

However, the feminisation of migration entails specific vulnerabilities linked to gender, age and migration status, which are exacerbated during the migration process. These risks include gender-based violence, labour and sexual exploitation, and precarious access to health, education and social protection services, which are particularly exacerbated by the irregular status of many of these groups[1] (UNFPA, 2024). Therefore, analysis from an intersectional perspective with a focus on gender and youth is essential to understanding the different dimensions of migration and to developing policies and programmes that guarantee safe, orderly and regular migration, promoting equality and empowerment for all migrants, regardless of their gender.

In this context, the integration of migrant youth into the formal labour market represents a critical challenge, exacerbated by the interruption of their educational trajectories and limited access to training and capacity-building opportunities essential for their economic and social autonomy. This precarious situation is particularly acute for young migrant women, who face not only the barriers common to young people, but also a persistent gender gap, reflected in the fact that male labour participation in the region exceeds 70%, while female labour participation barely reaches 50%, a disparity that is further intensified in informal migration and labour contexts. This double discrimination based on gender and migration status perpetuates cycles of vulnerability and dependence, limiting their potential to contribute to the development of host societies (ILO, 2025).

Against this background, it is imperative to address this issue from an intersectional approach that considers the multiple dimensions of identity and experience of migrant women and girls. This involves integrating perspectives on gender, youth, employment, human rights and intersectionality to design interventions that respond to their specific needs and promote their empowerment. Economic autonomy, facilitated by access to decent employment and vocational training, is a fundamental pillar for the protection of their rights and their full integration.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are strategic regional mechanisms[2] that contribute significantly to facilitating human and labour mobility. These include the Plan to Facilitate the Movement of Workers in MERCOSUR[3] (Res. GMC No. 21/15), the Andean Migration Statute[4] (Dec. No. 878) and the Andean Labour Migration Instrument[5] (Dec. No. 545), among others. These mechanisms promote migration regularisation processes, the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and the certification of labour skills, constituting determining factors in overcoming structural barriers that hinder the formal labour market integration of migrant women.

In addition to these regional mechanisms, civil society, through the Regional Network of Civil Organisations for Migration (RROCM), plays a fundamental role in defending and promoting the rights of migrants. The RROCM represents a strategic forum for coordination and dialogue that brings together more than 300 civil society organisations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), accompanying, advising and protecting migrants in vulnerable situations, and promoting social and labour inclusion, especially for migrant women and girls.

However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms could be enhanced by incorporating gender and youth perspectives more broadly, closing gaps in their implementation at the regional level, and promoting programmes tailored to the specific realities of migrant women and girls within the legal systems of the States in the region. It is also essential to strengthen multisectoral partnerships involving the public and private sectors and civil society, with the aim of creating inclusive spaces that promote socioeconomic integration and full autonomy of these populations.

SELA reiterates its commitment to regional integration in LAC, promoting integration processes that contribute to sustainable social and economic development. Looking ahead, it plans to further strengthen these joint efforts by promoting multisectoral cooperation, generating relevant technical knowledge and implementing public policies aligned with the emerging challenges in the region. Activities such as this workshop are part of this strategic vision, seeking tangible results with a regional impact.

[1]The 2024 annual report of the UNFPA Humanitarian Thematic Fund (UNFPA, 2025) highlights how UNFPA responds to humanitarian emergencies by providing essential reproductive health services, preventing gender-based violence, and offering support to women and young people in crisis. It also underscores the importance of flexible funding to ensure a rapid and efficient response in contexts of increasing vulnerability due to disasters caused by natural phenomena and conflicts. https://www.unfpa.org/publications/unfpa-humanitarian-thematic-fund-2024-annual-report 

[2]South American Conference on Migration (CSM) (2024). South American Migration Plan for Integration 2035.

https://csmigraciones.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/Plan%20Suramericano%20de%20Migraciones%20hacia%20la%20Integraci%C3%B3n%202035%20CSM_1.pdf

[3]The Plan to Facilitate the Circulation of Workers in MERCOSUR, approved by GMC Resolution N° 21/15 (2015), aims to promote and facilitate formal labour mobility within MERCOSUR member countries.

https://normas.mercosur.int/public/normativas/3124

[4]The Andean Migration Statute, approved by the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (2021), regulates the movement and residence of citizens of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, promoting the protection and guarantee of their rights during mobility within the region.

https://www.comunidadandina.org/DocOficialesFiles/Gacetas/Gaceta%204239.pdf

[5] Decision 545 of the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers (2003) establishes rules to facilitate the free movement and stay of national workers from the Andean Community in the region and promotes the formalisation and protection of labour. https://www.comunidadandina.org/StaticFiles/DocOf/DEC545.pdf

1. Analyse the specific challenges and opportunities faced by young migrant women and girls in their process of socio-economic integration, with an emphasis on access to formal employment, education and professional training, from a human rights and institutional strengthening perspective.
2. Promote regional coordination and multisectoral dialogue among international organisations, governments and civil society in order to achieve coordinated efforts that facilitate the socioeconomic inclusion and comprehensive development of young migrant women. 
3. Facilitate the exchange of regional experiences and best practices that promote institutional strengthening and effective models for labour inclusion and economic empowerment of migrant women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
4. Systematise the exchange of knowledge and experiences during the workshop to update and enrich the Handbook of Best Practices for the Integration of Migrant Women and Girls, consolidating it as a strategic resource for the formulation of effective policies and programmes.

The workshop is organised by the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) in partnership with the Regional Network of Civil Society Organisations for Migration (RROCM), with the participation of specialists from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UN Women, the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Format: Virtual

Registration: https://tinyurl.com/mujeresyninasmigrantes

Participants: SELA membership, RROCM, OIM, CISS, UNICEF, OHCHR.

Language: Spanish and English.

Date: 21 October 2025.

Time: 10:00 – 13:00 (Caracas time).

For further information, please contact

• Gustavo Herrera, Coordinator of Social Development

E-mail: gherrera@sela.org 

• Luis E. Martínez, Social Development Analyst

E-mail: lmartinezm@sela.org