Colombiassistence: Investigating the Applicability of Colombian Support Programs for Internally Displaced Persons to the Honduran Context

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Honduras has increased more than eight-fold over the past decade, yet assistance from governmental and non-governmental organizations has been lacking. By contrast, Colombia’s internal displacement crisis has been handled much more comprehensively through numerous IDP support projects. The present thesis investigates whether these Colombian IDP support projects could also be implemented in Honduras to alleviate the crisis there. Specifically, two such projects were used as case studies, with their applicability to the Honduran context being assessed using Williams and Dzhekova’s (2014) Framework for evaluating transferability and applicability of policy initiatives. The analysis found that while many elements of Colombian IDP support projects are transferable to Honduras, the country faces certain challenges to a larger extent than Colombia, affecting project transferability negatively. These challenges include the comparatively...Show moreThe number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Honduras has increased more than eight-fold over the past decade, yet assistance from governmental and non-governmental organizations has been lacking. By contrast, Colombia’s internal displacement crisis has been handled much more comprehensively through numerous IDP support projects. The present thesis investigates whether these Colombian IDP support projects could also be implemented in Honduras to alleviate the crisis there. Specifically, two such projects were used as case studies, with their applicability to the Honduran context being assessed using Williams and Dzhekova’s (2014) Framework for evaluating transferability and applicability of policy initiatives. The analysis found that while many elements of Colombian IDP support projects are transferable to Honduras, the country faces certain challenges to a larger extent than Colombia, affecting project transferability negatively. These challenges include the comparatively weak institutionalization of indigenous administrations, higher corruption and potential for instability in political institutions, lower levels of education and community strength among IDPs, and fewer skilled staff in local state institutions. This thesis thus recommends adaptation of the project elements affected by these challenges to increase the chances of success for IDP support projects in Honduras.Show less

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Colombiassistence: Investigating the Applicability of Colombian Support Programs for Internally Displaced Persons to the Honduran Context