Venezuela
2020-03 Factsheet
March 2020
Apr 2020 > Venezuela Shelter Cluster, 2019
Highlights
- The important dynamics of human mobility in country in search of better living conditions have been constantly increasing since last year, with an increased pressure to access the limited basic services (including energy and electricity) and secure livelihoods. In response to the COVID-19 emergency, which is having a global impact in most countries worldwide, Venezuela activated the social quarantine from 16 March 2020 onwards.
- In collaboration with other clusters and, within the framework of the COVID-19 intersectoral plan that was launched by OCHA on 10 April 2020, the Cluster is working on standardising the NFI kits, including infection protection and control (IPC) items, and protocols to be applied in the temporary shelter arrangements.
- In line with the Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) 2020, the Cluster has also been working on improving the hygiene conditions and protocols for refugees and migrants who have limited resources and stay in temporary shelter arrangements.
- During the first quarter of 2020, the Shelter Cluster reached a total of 37,594 beneficiaries with a coverage of six states: Táchira (26,409), Apure (6,674), Zulia (4,169), Miranda (149), Amazonas (100), Distrito Capital (63) and Bolívar (30). The activities implemented were aligned with both the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the inter sectoral COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, which are running simultaneously.
- In total, the 2020 HRP registered 20,402 beneficiaries in the six states (mentioned above), while the COVID-19 Response Plan registered 17,192 beneficiaries in only two states (Táchira and Apure). The assistance provided under the framework of the COVID-19 emergency has been channeled towards border areas only (Colombia-Venezuela border).
NFI
Shelter
Need analysis
- Through 2020, there is a reported increase in the influx of people returning to Venezuela. Given the COVID-19 emergency, this specific situation requires the establishment of adequate temporary shelter arrangements, taking into consideration protection, health, hygiene and sanitation measures, including advice and support for the management of temporary spaces (e.g. handwashing and hydration points, distribution of kits and basic items) and awareness-raising activities.
- Distributing solar lamps and securing access to a secondary energy source for health centres and hospitals in remote areas without regular access to the public grid has been identified as a priority.
Response
- During the first quarter of 2020, the 2020 HRP reached 20,402 beneficiaries. Of those, 6,986 (34%) were boys, girls and adolescents (NNA) (52% female and 48% male), 11,891 (58%) adults between 18 and 59 years old (60% female and 40% male) and 1,525 (8%) adults over 59 years (57% female and 43% male). In total, only 117 people with disabilities were reached through the 2020 HRP.
- Most of the people reached through the 2020 HRP benefited from a better access to a safe shelter (84% of the total), as a result of the construction, rehabilitation or improvement of collective temporary shelter arrangements and community spaces, with a total of 17,052 beneficiaries reached. The cluster also reached 3,096 (15%) people who benefited from material assistance through NFI distributions. Of those, 1,232 benefited from the distribution of basic items (including buckets, mosquito nets and portable kitchens), 1,111 benefited from kit distributions and 603 benefited from the distribution of solar lamps. 194 people (1%) benefited from a better access to energy/electricity through the installation of electric generators to organizations.
- In response to the COVID-19 emergency, and within the framework of the COVID-19 intersectoral plan, the Shelter Cluster partners reached 17,192 beneficiaries through kit distributions in Táchira and Apure. Of these, 9,875 were female (57%) and 7,317 were male (43%).
Gaps / challenges
- With most of activities being focused on the COVID-19 response, the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) remains unpublished, which may lead to a gap in funding capacity among national and international actors. The activities reported in this factsheet were aligned with the 2020 sectorial logical framework; however, no funding has been received yet.
- In response to the preventive quarantine, some humanitarian actors in the field have reportedly suspended operations to minimize the spread of the virus. Also, the suspension of regular petrol distributions in some states has negatively impacted the operational capacity of partners.
