Context
With an area of more than 11,896 km2 and a population of 52,235 Darien is the largest and poorest province in Panama. Bordering Colombia and the Pacific Ocean, Darien is in the east of the country and is one of the most challenging areas in the world to transit. Yet, thousands of people cross the jungle yearly for protection, dignified oppor- tunities, and family reunification.
Before 2010, people from Asian and African nations primarily used the Darien jungle to cross from South to Central America. In 2020/2021, the number of Cuban and Haitian nationals increased. Currently, Venezuela is the main nationality, making up 67 per cent of the total population crossing the jungle. In 2023, over half a million people entered the country irregularly, setting an unprecedented record in crossings.
Before arriving in the Darien jungle, many refugees and migrants have crossed multiple countries, often through unofficial border crossings, resulting in increased protection risks (especially for more vulnerable populations, such as unaccompanied children), as well as undocumented status, which limits access to basic services, exposing those in need of international protection to the risk of refoulement.
These vulnerabilities are further exacerbated during their journey through the jungle, where they are exposed to a lar- ge number of risks and incidents, which include, but are not limited to, thefts, physical and sexual violence, murder, and extortion.
To monitor protection risks and profiles of refugees and mi- grants on the move, UNHCR conducts protection monitoring in Darien using mixed research methods. This report presents the main findings of all monthly assessments conducted from July 2022 to April 2024.