Article published in 2020
After 22 years of working with abandoned youth in Nicaragua, Casa Alianza Nicaragua (CAN) was forced to close the doors of its home for teenage mothers on October 22, 2020, by order of the government.
The very next day after the official announcement, the authorities came to take the nine young girls and their baby away without any regard for their well-being and without giving CAN a chance to explain the situation to the girls or prepare them for their departure. CAN requested a delay to notify the families or their designated contacts, as is standard procedure for any reintegration, but to no avail; the authorities took the young women away without anyone knowing where they were being taken (at that time). The teams on the ground, devastated and powerless, told us that the girls were in tears and did not want to leave.
For now, the Hilton shelter (the main shelter housing both girls and boys) is still operating, although it too is under threat of being shut down by the authorities. CAN does not know if they will come to remove the children at any moment… This is a stressful situation for all the staff and the young people.
The reason given by the authorities for ordering the closure of the Casa Alianza Nicaragua centers is that not all of the young girls there were placed there by the Ministry of Family Affairs. However, this has always been the case. Children arrive through the authorities, but also through street outreach teams, community work, or through their parents themselves, a teacher, a referral agent, etc. The admission of any young girl or boy through a channel other than the Ministry of Family Affairs is then systematically reported to the authorities upon their arrival.
The human rights situation in the country is critical, and the government is becoming increasingly authoritarian. We remain convinced that Casa Alianza is doing extraordinary and indispensable work with young victims of abuse and neglect—work that is recognized nationally and internationally by numerous organizations and institutions. We wholeheartedly support our partners during this difficult time so that they can continue their work in the best interests of the children, and we will keep you informed of developments in the situation.
Learn more about the human rights situation in Nicaragua:
