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Brace for more Venezuelans U.N urges scaled up support in Guyana, other Caribbean countries …plan seeks to provide financial assistance
United Nations (UN) officials are keen to galvanize support for Guyana and other countries in the region grappling with the influx of Venezuelans who are fleeing economic and political turmoil.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency estimates that a Caribbean response in 2019 will cost at minimum US $34M based on the projection that the refugee and migrant population from Venezuela will grow to around 222,000 by the end of 2019 with irregular arrivals expected to continue.
Among this population, around 177,500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela are estimated to require assistance throughout the upcoming year.
It is estimated that US $10.1, the largest chunk of the overall financial needs, is required for direct emergency assistance.
“A scale-up of the direct emergency and protection response, as well as increased support for socio-economic and cultural inclusion mechanisms, is urgently required to complement governments’ efforts and to ensure communities continue to receive refugees and migrants from Venezuela,” the UN cautioned.
In collaboration with regional officials, the UNHCR has prepared a 2019 regional refugee and migrant response plan for refugees and migrants from Venezuela. The plan seeks to tap large donors for financial support.
According to the plans, support will be given to the governments of the region in establishing shelters for victims of human trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV) survivors.
“These shelters support victims and survivors by offering them a safe space to live where they receive continuous psychosocial and material support vital to their healing process,” the report states.
The U.N report showing migration routes from Venezuela to the Caribbean and funds needed to tackle the growing problem.
The report calls for regular thematic coordination meetings to be hosted with partners in the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago to support the authorities’ efforts to respond to the situation and with the objective of avoiding gaps and duplications, addressing obstacles, and ensuring protection as well as predictable assistance delivery to those in need.
Regionally, the report noted that in recent years Aruba, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago have been hosting growing numbers of refugees and migrants from Venezuela.
It is estimated that around 147,000 individuals will have arrived by air, land, and sea by the end of 2018, including some returnees in Guyana.
The agency notes that there is a need in some states to develop or improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for registration, identification, documentation and referral of victims of human trafficking.
Access to sufficient food and nutrition, safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, and safe shelter are reported to be the most pressing needs by refugees and migrants from Venezuela in the sub-region.
Considering the small size and limited absorption capacity of the concerned countries, the increasing number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela has had an impact on their host communities.
According to the U.N, concerns about the growing numbers have led countries in the Caribbean to introduce restrictions on regular migration such as reinstating visa requirements for Venezuelans and issuing visas with more limited time periods.
Shrinking regular routes out of Venezuela to the Caribbean has made refugees and migrants, especially women and children, particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and smuggling, as well as to increasing risks of exploitation and abuse.
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