CASE STUDY: EXILED NICARAGUAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN COSTA RICA challenges The case study also found disparities in terms of services and support between the border territories in the north (Upala and San Carlos) and the greater San José metropolitan area. In general, the needs for HRDs in the north are more basic, such as food, shelter, and health services, while in the capital the needs are more long-term, such as employment opportunities, education and training, housing and medical attention. The security issue for all Nicaraguan HRDs is paramount. The HRDs interviewed and surveyed mentioned security as a main fear.25 The HRDs interviewed and those that participated in focus groups judged their economic situation as being very difficult. Indeed, in exile, most HRDs have experienced a significant drop in their standard of living, often going from being breadwinners of their families to being dependent on the financial support of family members, friends, and organizations. Some women with young children interviewed and that participated in the focus groups highlighted having specific challenges as they do not have family members to support them in the caretaking of children, nor the resources to pay for domestic help, thus remaining excluded from professional opportunities and human rights activities. Our case study found that the majority of Nicaraguan HRDs in exile, are underemployed and have trouble paying the higher cost of living in Costa Rica. In the case of young HRDs, access to education and the possibility of completing their studies is one of their main aspirations. A study in 2019, found that nearly 40 percent of Nicaraguan youth in Costa Rica “I never thought I was going to experience this situation. I never considered exile either. But I soon realized that my only option was to live in another country to survive and sleep without fear of the police arriving at my house. I feel emotionally and physically drained.” (Nicaraguan HRD in Costa Rica.) 12 @FreedomHouse WHAT FACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED POSITIVELY TO YOUR WORK IN COSTA RICA AS A HRD IN EXILE • “Technology (computer, cell phone) allows me to be in contact with my colleagues.” • “Support from cooperation agencies and commitment to defending human rights.” • “The solid alliances and networks we have been building.” • “The fact that human rights activities can be carried out safely without fear or persecution and the ties that have been forged with victims’ organizations, communicators and other human rights organizations.” identified the lack of employment as the main problem and 20 percent pointed out to economic limitations.26 In the end, many Nicaraguans exiled in Costa Rica, including HRDs, end up working informal jobs with low pay because they cannot find work in their areas of expertise. Costa Rica has not been spared by COVID-19, and the economy was hit hard. While the government’s prompt response helped avoid a deeper health crisis, the fiscal impact was significant. In 2020-2021, the economy shrank by 4.5%, partly thanks to the reduction in tourism, while the fiscal deficit rose to 8.1% of GDP, up from 6.7% in 2019. Public debt reached 68% of GDP, and unemployment rose to 18%, from 12% last year.27 This situation has affected opportunities for Nicaraguans exile in Costa Rica. While a majority of Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica who participated in the survey said they had plans to return home “one day” (Graph 2 preceding page), the majority of the Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica who were interviewed and participated in focus groups, did not consider an early return to Nicaragua. One in 10 stated that a member of their family had returned to Nicaragua and 1 in 5 indicated that they were considering doing so motivated by lack of employment in the host country (90%) and because they did not have anything to eat (40%).