Socioeconomic reality of young migrants in the municipality of San Miguel

Abstract

Irregular migration has been a persistent sociohistorical phenomenon in the last forty years in El Salvador, fundamentally motivated by difficult economic conditions and the lack of job opportunities. In the country, scenarios of social exclusion are generated that drive the emigration of many citizens who leave with the hope of obtaining economic prosperity and a stable sociocultural environment in other territories. Being a phenomenon of great importance, irregular migration must be addressed from a multi-causal and scientific perspective, focusing on its economic, political and sociocultural nuances, in which the young population is mostly involved. The approach to this phenomenon allows us to redefine actions of governments and institutions of society in favor of the integrity, dignity and respect for the human rights of migrants and returnees, which allows the implementation of inter-institutional strategies in socio-educational and labor matters that impact in preventing migration. Based on these considerations, the reality of young students from the municipality of San Miguel residing in urban and rural areas was investigated to know their expectations and opinions regarding the possibility of migrating due to the socioeconomic conditions and the context of insecurity in which they live; Likewise, the experiences of young people who experienced the phenomenon of irregular migration up close and returned to the country as returnees were studied. On the other hand, the assistance work of various institutions that are fundamentally linked to migrants and returnees was investigated, through initiatives and projects for their socioeconomic reintegration.