“Migration, Remittances and the Empowerment of Women in Central America and the Andean Region,” for PROMESHA, Lund University, 2007-2008

Abstract

In 2007 and 2008, I2UD conducted a study on “Migration, Remittances and the Empowerment of Women in Central America and the Andean Region,” commissioned by the PROMESHA program of the Housing Development and Management Program (HDM) at Lund University and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). (See more on HDM’s Regional Capacity Development > PROMESHA at Lund University.)

The study provided background research for programs specifically designed to assist Latin American women affected by migration, in Latin American countries — Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina.

Dr. Mona Serageldin’s focus centered empowering women’s experience of navigating migration and housing needs — by examining remittance sending and receiving patterns, and funding use priorities. Suggested strategies included investing remittance funds into key assets for Latin American communities, chiefly to meet housing needs. Documents include an interim report (January 2007) and final report (August 2008).

Project Year:2007-2008
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Honduras / El Salvador / Ecuador / Chile / Perú / Colombia / Argentina
Reports:
Authors:Mona Serageldin; Christa Lee-Chuvala; Carolina Morgan; Alejandra Mortarini
Sponsors:Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Categories:Reconciliation and Development
  
ID:2007_07_002

Related I2UD Projects

“Delivery of Security of Tenure, Infrastructure Services and Access to Finance Through Community-Based Approaches,” Planning Strategy Report on Albania and El Salvador, 4th World Bank Urban Research Symposium, 2007

Abstract

A 2007 research report by I2UD, “Delivery of Security of Tenure, Infrastructure Services and Access to Finance Through Community-Based Approaches” was presented at the 4th World Bank Urban Research Symposium, May 2007, Washington, DC, USA.

The planning strategy examined the provision of land tenure security and basic infrastructure to marginalized groups in Albania and El Salvador. It encouraged a blend of community participation and cooperation among local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and bilateral and multilateral organizations.

Documents include a synthesis of the Symposium published by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) entitled “Beyond Titling: Summing up ‘Urban Land Use and Land Markets.'” See an excerpt from the Preface:


[Excerpt: Delivery of Security of Tenure, Summary]

“Incremental approaches to improving tenure security based on community participation and partnerships between local authorities, NGOs and bilateral and multilateral organizations can be effective in fostering social inclusion and facilitating access to urban land:
— In Albania, the Urban Land Management Program addressed the explosive development of informal settlements around Tirana by establishing a demand-driven program for the provision of basic services and engaging residents in the process of planning for community development.
— In El Salvador, the Fundación Salvadoreña de Apoyo Integral (FUSAI) has provided housing solutions to communities located on vulnerable or hazardous land through an integrated package of land provision, mutual-help housing construction and small housing loans. Despite the differences in context, both programs delivered security of tenure and provided basic infrastructure services to marginalized groups.”

Key Words: Security of tenure, infrastructure provision, informal settlements, social inclusion.

[Excerpt: Preface to Beyond Titling, by Thomas Melin, Head of Division for Urban Development at Sida]

“The Urban Research Symposium 2007 was held for the fourth time in Washington DC, USA, between May 14th to 16th 2007. The title of [2007’s] Symposium was Urban Land Use and Land Markets. These themes have preoccupied donors, multilateral organisations and civil society for decades but research is still insufficient due to the complexity of the issues.”

“Formal land delivery systems have often been inadequate to meet growing urban populations’ demands for secure tenure. The “informal land delivery system” – squatting, illegal subdivision of plots and pavement dwelling – has been the only answer. In order to improve poor people’s livelihoods, we need to better understand how the full continuum of informal and formal land markets operate; how new solutions to secure land for poor people can be developed; and how land can be used sustainably.”

Project Year:2007
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Tirana, Albania / El Salvador
Reports:
Delivery of Security, Infrastructure Services and Access to Finance through Community-Based Approaches (Report, 2007)

SIDA, Fourth Urban Research Symposium: Beyond Titling (Report, 2007)
Authors:John Driscoll; Christa Lee-Chuvala; Dritan Shutina; Felicity Chan; Carolina Morgan
Sponsors:World Bank
Categories:Urban Planning
  
ID:2007_00_001

Related I2UD Projects

“Migratory Flows, Poverty and Social Inclusion in Latin America,” Research Report by Mona Serageldin with Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), 2004

Abstract

“Migratory Flows, Poverty and Social Inclusion in Latin America” was written and researched by Dr. Mona Serageldin in collaboration with authors from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in 2004.

The 2004 paper was published as Chapter 7 in Urban Futures: Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction, Nabeel Hamdi (ed.). The collaboration was funded by grant from Sida, with a purpose to document two additional cases in Central America: León, Nicaragua and San Salvador, El Salvador.

This project emerged from a previous study, funded by the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University, to document the impact of human migratory flows on across Central and South American nations. See related content in the I2UD Document Library: “Reintroducing the Spatial Dimension in the Planning and Management of Latin American Cities,” Lecture by Yves Cabannes, 2003.

Documents include the paper Proposal, Executive Summary, two Final Reports from February 2004 (CUDS) and August 2005 (I2UD), and a Bibliography in Spanish/Español.


[Excerpt: Final Report, Executive Summary, “Migratory Flows, Poverty and Social Inclusion in Latin America,” February 2004]

1. Introduction.
“Current poverty reduction strategies in LAC (Latin American Countries) underestimate the impact of migratory movements and remittances on social inclusion and do not fully include migration as a component of their strategies.”

“Some Latin American municipalities have launched creative initiatives in this field and their experience is well worth reviewing. To date little documentation of these efforts has been made particularly in terms of assessing the performance of the methods used and the impact of the monitoring on local development policies and governance.”

“Given the importance of migratory movements in Latin America, the findings will be of interest for local authorities as well as multinational and bilateral development organizations working in local development and poverty alleviation programs. This paper presents some preliminary findings of the study, which is still in progress, based on research and field documentation in Cuenca, Ecuador.”

Project Year:2004
Project Type:Research Paper
Geographic Regions:Latin America (Central America; Caribbean; Cuenca, Ecuador; Maracaibo, Venezuela; Mexico; León and Rivas, Nicaragua; San Salvador, El Salvador)
Reports:
Authors:Yves Cabannes; Mona Serageldin; Elda Solloso; Luis Valenzuela
Sponsors:Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
Categories:Informal Settlements and Urban Upgrading; Urban Planning
  
ID:2004_02_001

Related I2UD Projects