Protection Challenges of International and Cross-Border Forced Migration of Indigenous Communities in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru

The two-year (24 month) project will approach year one, through an academic-research phase and build on prior collected and new data. In year two the dissemination of results, reflection, interaction, and collaborative work will allow for the delivery of a comprehensive analysis. The lack of studies regarding the mobility of indigenous groups affects the production of knowledge and the generation of public policies due to the absence of ethnic-cultural variables in the analyzes and in the concrete actions (Torres & Carrasco, 2008). In this framework, it is essential to study the dynamics of indigenous groups¿ mobility, to identify the protection gaps and the humanitarian effects of displaced indigenous communities subjected to international migration and cross-border ancestral territorial mobility. As a result, the project will strengthen training actions, advocacy, and dialogue spaces within the identified communities, participate with governments and other organizations to invigorate the agency and the capacities of the communities of interest. The project will deliver the following through a consortium, whose foundation will be to work through an applied, collaborative, and inclusive during the two-year project. The applied mechanism will help assist with capturing relevant results and aim at transforming the conditions of injustice and lack of protection in which the communities live. The consortium¿s collaborative approach will also include the indigenous community¿s involvement in the design and diagnoses process of the research project. The activities to be developed will be designed by utilizing methodology of intercultural dialogues: from listening exercises that are thought as spaces for self-reflection of the situations experienced by the communities themselves. Therefore, the exchange of collected data and findings will adhere to a human-center approach and generate inclusivity amongst community leaders, members, and other relevant stakeholders and generate collaboration. Intercultural dialogue aims to respect and preserve cultures and their traditions, establish links between different communities and promote coexistence, well-being, and peace among peoples. This means that the research will be based on not modifying or questioning the traditions and social dynamics of the selected indigenous communities, but on the contrary, establishing spaces of trust, with the support of focal points for the development of participatory diagnoses and different interactions within the research framework. The dialogue recognizes the existing differences not only within the different indigenous peoples, but also within them. For this, it is essential to have the endorsement of the indigenous authorities, as well as translators for each community. Likewise, the research team will be previously trained in this intercultural dialogue approach and technical support will be made so that the approach is transversal in the application of the research. The methodology of intercultural dialogue is essential to guarantee that the understanding of the needs and protection gaps from their cosmovision¿s. Year 1: In the first phase of the project an intercultural dialogue will be established under the acknowledgement of the equal dignity of participants and the respect for cultural differences, listening and observing with an open mind and respecting the communication channel of their representatives. Leading this effort will be led by each team at each of the three territories. These leaders will work alongside community promoters who will help with the process at each respective territory. Additionally, an ethical option in the face of intervention with communities, the project will be developed under the Do No Harm approach, that tests our ability to continuously read, interpret and consult the context, in the light of good- being and justice and wondering about the consequences and effects of "what was done." To reduce the potential negative effects of the interventions JRS will follow the methodological proposal for an Action without Harm (Adaptation by Anderson,1999) that involves 4 stages: 1. analysis of the socio-cultural dynamics of the group or community, 2. analysis of the conflicts, 3. analysis of intervention or assistance programs and 4. formulation of strategies and planning or redesign of proposals. Likewise, the postulates of the Sphere Handbook will be considered, as it is one of the most widely known and internationally recognized instruments for planning, executing, and evaluating operations in the humanitarian field. On the other hand, and due to the public health crisis caused by COVID-19, the project will follow the epidemiological protocols designed internationally and will rely on the inter-institutional work designed by the different public and private entities in the region to work together. Finally, ethical intervention protocols will be designed including public health care. The project is guided by the following research questions: If the displaced indigenous communities have capacities that are strengthened for identifying their needs and rights, do these capacities will allow them to manage the risks linked to the gaps in protection and forced migration due to territorial and structural threats? What key factors, social dynamics, needs and protection gaps does the humanitarian community have to consider improving its response for the attention of cross-border indigenous communities? It is important to recognize the different mobility dynamics of indigenous peoples. Historically there has been ancestral territorial mobility within the framework of ethnic borders as a way of coping with adverse conditions in the territory, for example, during the rubber plantations, people migrated through the interfluve to guarantee their survival, or to obtain food. Mobility has not necessarily been limited to the borders of the Nation-States. In this regard, the mobility of indigenous peoples over vast areas is a characteristic of their construction of territoriality, and from this point of view, the borders of the Nation-States are an imposition that do not recognize these dynamics. States must create mechanisms for the protection and recognition of peoples' rights, particularly in the current context where the violations that impact their territories oblige them to migrate in a forced manner, putting their physical and cultural survival at risk. Other categories would be cross-border and transnational migration. However, an element that should be of interest to this project is the dimension of forced migration that exists in the different dynamics mentioned. One hypothesis that will be addressed from the research project is that considering the territorial and structural threats faced by ethnic peoples, indigenous migration in the current context is increasingly becoming a forced migration. The first year will encompass the academic-investigative phase and during the second year the diffusion phase of results, reflection, interaction, and collaborative work, looking forward to impact public policies and the response of humanitarian actors, and public awareness. However, Year 1 of the Project will not exclude advocacy efforts. Two years of work will allow to carry out a rigorous research process and to later share the results and strengthen the capacities of humanitarian agents and local authorities. Also, to leave installed capacity in indigenous leaders who will be trained as community researchers and to design the community protection initiatives. Actors will approach the indigenous peoples; they will carry out the participatory diagnoses of intercultural relevance and will stablish strategies to respond to protection gaps. Key actors will share the results of the research. Lines of action with methodology. Objective 1: To identify protection gaps and humanitarian impacts on forcibly displaced indigenous communities subjected to international migration and to cross-border ancestral territorial mobility. Initial approach and preparedness: This first stage of activities aims to approach indigenous communities and create dialogue spaces to identify leaders, establish agreements, and make an initial characterization. The research project team will consider COVID-19 measures and will prepare and develop the first activities of the research project in a virtual context. This will be done through actions that create trust through listening spaces, research team training, and a do no harm approach. Presidents and government councils of the nationalities and indigenous peoples will be presented with the objectives of the research to a) explain the objectives of the investigation; b) obtain their authorization to enter their territories and prioritize their communities according to the characteristics required in the project; c) coordinate with the designated leaders, the various activities to be carried out within the framework of the project and in alliance with organizations, platforms or the Society of Jesus that has had a historical presence in the territories. Likewise, an approach will be made with local authorities, humanitarian organizations, and churches in the selected territories to obtain recommendations for the implementation of specific work programs with indigenous peoples. Participatory diagnosis and analysis: the second phase will include the construction of the socio-territorial diagnoses, which will be built in a participatory way through the identification of problems, strengths, difficulties, and threats; map of actors and multi-actor dialogue with pastoral communities, border pastoralists, humanitarian organizations, institutional agents, cooperation agencies, ombudspersons; social mapping of the territory with a differential approach (gender, age) and focus groups, among other tools. Likewise, state, and non-state agents in the border area who work with indigenous peoples will review seconda}