COSTA RICA IS THE ONLY CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY THAT GRANTS ASYLUM DUE TO PERSECUTION OF A PERSON'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY. IT HAS INCREASINGLY BECOME A HOST COUNTRY FOR LGBTIQ+ REFUGEES FROM THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE, PANAMA, VENEZUELA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES. YET SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO HELP REFUGEES INTEGRATE INTO THE COSTA RICAN ECONOMY ARE STILL IN THEIR EARLY STAGES. THE IAF SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-LED APPROACHES TO PROMOTING ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND CREATING INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. OUR GRANTEE ASOCIACION INSTITUTO SOBRE MIGRACION Y REFUGIO LGBTIQ PARA CENTROAMERICA (IRCA CASABIERTA) PROVIDES TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LGBTIQ MIGRANTS IN COSTA RICA. THEY ALSO COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL PARTNERS IN PANAMA TO TO DEVELOP AN ADVOCACY STRATEGY WHICH AIMS TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR AT-RISK LGBTIQ MIGRANTS IN THAT COUNTRY AS WELL.