Venezuelan refugees in Colombia are in need of significant support and aid. Humanity & Inclusion teams are mapping out our emergency response options.
Venezuela has been confronted by a serious economic, political and social crisis since 2013. This has caused at least 3.4 million Venezuelans to flee, with 2.7 million have relocated to other Latin American and Caribbean countries, with one million refugees seeking refuge in Colombia, according to the United Nations. In just the past few months, the crisis has forced tens of thousands of Venezuelans to flee to neighboring countries.
Humanity & Inclusion has worked in Colombia since 1998. In 2017, teams assessed the needs of Venezuelans located in Cucuta, Colombia. In November 2018, Humanity & Inclusion assessed the needs of migrants in La Guajira, a crossing point in northern Colombia, in conjunction with the NGO Danish Refugee Council (DRC).
The organization is currently preparing for the possible launch of an emergency response, in conjunction with DRC and Pastoral Social (Caritas Colombia), which would include the following activities:
- psychosocial support to help Venezuelan migrants overcome their traumas
- rehabilitation care for people with disabilities, older people, indigenous people or any individual in a situation of vulnerability.
- technical support (training, etc.) to local rehabilitation organizations so they can take care of refugees and migrants in need
- promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between different communities
These activities would be carried out in the areas of La Guajira, Arauca, Atlántico (Baranquilla) and Vichada (Puerto Carreno). Humanity & Inclusion would then aim to operate in urban areas (Bogota, Medellín, Cali).
Humanity & Inclusion is also monitoring the situation in Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.
To learn more about Humanity & Inclusion's work in Colombia, click here.