Building Trust: UN helps Costa Rica establish its first territorial governance framework for migration and community integration
Photo credit: Mariana Álvarez, UNDP, 2025. | Community members in Upala meet and discuss peacebuilding.
December 2025
More than 7,000 people have benefited from community-led initiatives that activated 11 peace committees, strengthened women’s leadership, and enabled municipalities to establish, in consultation with relevant Costa Rican authorities
Despite achievements on national development indicators, significant disparities exist in Costa Rica’s coastal and border communities characterized by higher national levels of inequality, poverty rates, limited access to basic services, and weak institutional presence. Along the northern border, the cantones of Los Chiles and Upala – located in the province of Alajuela - have also a higher proportion of migrants and refugees per capita, exceeding the national average of 5 per cent. Rather than letting xenophobia and fear fracture their communities, residents chose to build public spaces for peace and collective action fostering social cohesion. As community member Roger Altamirano reflects: “Before, our town didn’t have a (public) space like this, and now children, youth, migrants, and families feel hopeful.”
To support this commitment to peace, the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) allocated $2 million to the joint programme “Strengthening Peaceful Coexistence, Community Integration, and Institutional Response in Cross-border Communities”, implemented by UNHCR, IOM, and UNDP, from 2023 to 2025. The programme has supported local authorities and communities to identify initiatives fostering peace and enhancing social cohesion. So far, the programme benefited an estimated 7,000 people, conducted nearly 500 community activities, and enabled an agreement among four municipalities to establish Costa Rica’s first territorial governance mechanism for migration and mobility.
Key Achievements
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These efforts support Costa Rica’s National Agenda for Violence Prevention by reinforcing access to justice, reducing exclusion of vulnerable populations, and addressing crimes such as trafficking, homicide, and organized crime. Sustainable peace, the experience shows, is built through institutional trust, territorial participation, and a rights-based approach.
Photo credit: Mariana Álvarez, UNDP, 2025. | Youth learning about peace concepts.
Communities Take the Lead
For Alejandro Francisco Prado Urbina of the Police Athletic Leagues, these initiatives are vital because they empower children and adolescents to express their ideas, understand community challenges, and collaborate with adults to strengthen peace. This spirit of participation is now reflected in the 11 peace committees formed under the programme.
These committees have guided community-driven improvements across more than 45 sites, including a playground in Yolillal (Upala), a soccer field in México (Upala), a multipurpose hall in Santa Fe (Los Chiles), a cultural center in El Parque (Los Chiles) and “La Casa del Pueblo” in Isla Chica.
Residents such as Inés Lazos and Maira Potoy describe the excitement generated by these new public spaces and the sense of shared purpose emerging through collective action.
Women leadership roles within the committees were also strengthened, as their specific needs supported. Childcare support such as the Casa Club Viajera has ensured equitable participation, as highlighted by Heidy Corea of El Socorro de Yolillal. A refugee woman from Los Chiles explains that while women once felt invisible, workshops and activities helped them recognize their strength, organize cultural events, and take on leadership roles promoting peace. Thanks to the programme, municipal women’s offices offered tools for violence prevention and empowerment to more than 591 women.
Photo credit: Mariana Álvarez, UNDP, 2025. | UNHCR, IOM, and UNDP joined forces in a shared effort to build peace alongside communities and local institutions.
Technology Serving Peace
A major innovation of the programme is the “Human Security Risk Monitoring System”, co-designed with local authorities and communities. Tracking more than 100 risk indicators, the system enables residents to report concerns digitally, from environmental hazards to road issues and security risks, allowing institutions to respond more quickly and transparently.
As the mayor of Los Chiles notes, the platform allows citizens to file complaints directly to the municipality, which can then coordinate with the appropriate institution. This technology supports evidence-based management, strengthens trust in public institutions, and improves territorial planning, key foundations for long-term social cohesion and violence prevention.
Photo credit: Mariana Álvarez, UNDP, 2025. | UNHCR, IOM, and UNDP joined forces in a shared effort to build peace alongside communities and local institutions.
A Lesson for the World
The true success of this initiative lies in its transformation of vulnerability into strength. Where distrust once existed, dialogue now takes place. Where communities were fragmented, eleven platforms for community integration are active. Women lead committees; young people paint murals and play soccer on new fields; and local authorities use technological tools to anticipate and prevent risks.
Photo credit: Mariana Álvarez, UNDP, 2025. | In a small boat, women support one another, turning fear into strength and solidarity as they face challenges together.