Mexico and Central America

Overview

Every year at least one million people migrate across national borders in Mexico and Central America, deeply affecting the region in every aspect of life.

The Regional Context

While migration provides opportunities for social mobility and confers benefits to communities, it also exposes migrants to vulnerabilities including human rights abuses (particularly among women), family separation, and increased exposure to HIV/AIDS and other diseases. In addition, rapid out-migration poses significant challenges to local institutions, land tenure and land use.

This mass mobilization is a direct result of the deep-rooted exclusion and poverty in the countries where we work. National and international institutions and policies have failed to create conditions that allow all members of society to access opportunities, services and resources. Among those most affected are indigenous and Afro-descendant people, women, migrants and persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Our Goal

The goal of our work is to address the challenges related to migration and reduce deep-rooted exclusion in the region.

Solving the structural problems that expel people from their places of origin has the potential to make migration an option rather than a necessity.

What We're Doing

We pursue efforts to make migration safer, develop alternative approaches to restrictive policies and maximize positive aspects of migration.

Our grant making promotes inclusion and diversity by helping excluded groups increase control over their destinies and achieve social change. We believe that strengthened leadership, increased organizational capacity, and the ability to effectively control their ancestral territories are important pathways to reduce exclusion and consolidate democracy in the region.

To address the complexities of regional migration, we engage a wide range of civil society actors, academia, as well as government and other funders.

Our grant making in the region is pursued through the following initiatives.

From the Newsroom

• In the Headlines: A Film Makes History The impact of Pamela Yates’ film “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator” on the trial of Efraín Ríos Montt
• News from Ford: The Role of Philanthropy in Latin America Special section in America’s Quarterly highlights the foundation’s support for the region over the past half-century

From the Library

• Ford Foundation Mexico The foundation's Mexico and Central America office will mark 50 years of regional grant making in 2012. Over the years, we have supported visionary leaders working to promote social justice, build more inclusive societies and create opportunities. Today, our focus remains on empowering the poor and marginalized throughout the region. English, 2 MB Español, 2 MB

Regional Office

Team

• Mario Bronfman
  Representative
• Ivana Fertziger
  Program Officer
• David Kaimowitz
  Director
• Kimberly Krasevac-Szekely
  Program Officer
• Ana Luisa Liguori
  Senior Program Officer

Contact

T:

+52 55 9138 0270

F:

+52 55 9138 0279

Email:

ford-mexico@fordfoundation.org