In regions Americas and Venezuela and in group Americas

Venezuela

2020-08 Factsheet

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August 2020
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ACNUR Zulia, 2020

Highlights

  • Through August 2020, a total of 17,896 individuals (56% female and 44% male) benefited from better access to safe shelter, energy or basic NFIs in seven states, including Zulia (10,539), Bolívar (3,276), Apure (1,993) and Amazonas (1,475). Most of the activities were focused on the COVID-19 pandemic response, whilst a small percentage of the response covered prioritised communities and individuals with specific needs. During August 2020 the Cluster continued supporting the national authorities through NFI distributions, shelter support and energy interventions in the Government-led Puntos de Atención Social Integral (PASI) in Zulia and Apure border municipalities to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
  • The Shelter Cluster partners worked on supporting both hospitals and health centres to attend the COVID-19 emergency in Zulia and Apure states with NFI distributions and the installation of Refugee Housing Units (RHUs), which improved the triage system and also increased the capacity of quarantine spaces for Venezuelan spontaneous returnees.
  • The influx of spontaneous returns to Venezuela continued to increase through August and partners have strengthened the response at the border areas.

NFI

Shelter

Need analysis

  • Due to the number of people returning to their areas of origin (AoO) with limited access to basic services and overcrowded housing conditions, NFI distribution (e.g. solar lamps, mattresses, kitchen sets, blankets and others) in communities remain as a priority to support safe returns.
  • In Apure and Zulia states several PASIs were affected by long-term power shortages (including communities in the Guajira border of Zulia reporteing power shortages of up to six days) which also affects water, sanitation and hygiene services and preservation of refrigerated food.
  • The rainy season has caused an increase of mosquitoes in Apure, Zulia and Bolívar states which could lead to an increase in cases of endemic diseases (e.g. dengue, zika and malaria). The distribution of mosquito nets in PASIs and prioritised communities in those states has been identified as a priority.

Response

  • Through August 2020, a total of 17,896 individuals (56% female and 44% male) benefited from better access to safe shelter, energy or basic NFIs in seven states, including Zulia (10,539), Bolívar (3,276), Apure (1,993) and Amazonas (1,475).
  • Activities targeting temporary shelter arrangements covered 3 PASIs and 1 PASIC in Zulia, reaching 5,616 beneficiaries, including Venezuelan returnees. In Zulia, the PASI Carmen Ferrer Ortiz (in Guajira municipality) was rehabilitated to provide shelter to 300 people, including basic NFIs (52 kitchen kits, with aluminium pots, steel plates and cutlery items). 44 kitchen sets (with the same content) were also distributed to the PASI Villa Deportiva (in Maracaibo municipality). Near the Colombian-Venezuelan border area of ​​the Guajira municipality, the Shelter Cluster partners supported the PASIC Paraguachón with 18 Refugee Housing Units (RHUs). These units helped to increase the capacity of this PASIC to provide safe shelter to 1,560 beneficiaries through the end of the year. In order to strengthen the management capacities of PASIs, 59 staff members of the PASI Universidad Nacional Experimental de la Seguridad (UNES) in Zulia, attended a capacity building session.
  • Activities in community and health centres covered the states of Apure and Zulia and reached 5,643 beneficiaries. In Apure, a total of 38 Refugee Housing Units (RHUs) were installed in La Periquera PDVSA hospital (in the Páez municipality), increasing its capacity to attend 1,000 people through the end of the year. In Guasdualito (Apure state), partners provided blankets and fans to the Child Protection Council. In Maracaibo municipality (Zulia state), partners provided basic NFIs and equipment to the Servicio Autónomo del Hospital Universitario, including surgical mattresses, cleaning materials (sweeping brushes and garbage bags) and hygiene items for 134 beneficiaries. In addition, partners distributed buckets and solar lamps to 6 community spaces in the Simón Bolívar municipality (Zulia state), reaching 4,500 people.
  • Other activities targeted prioritised communities, and reached 6,637 vulnerable individuals in Miranda, Apure, Amazonas, Bolívar and Zulia. The activities included the delivery of a total of 2,242 solar lamps, benefiting 4,015 people, NFI distributions and habitat kits (including blankets, mats, a kitchen set, a mosquito net and a jerrycan), reaching 2,462 beneficiaries. Also, 160 people from the Marewa indigenous community in Zulia benefited from an awareness raising session on safe shelter.

Gaps / challenges

  • Delays in the delivery of PCR test results to Venezuelan returnees, who remain in PASIs, generates an extension of the quarantine period and an additional pressure to access the limited basic services in temporary shelter arrangements. In Apure state, this delay generally leads to overcrowding conditions at the PASIs.
  • Lack of fuel in country continue affecting the implementation of activities of partner organisations countrywide. In addition, limited access to gasoline has constrained the transfer of returnees from PASIs in border areas to their Areas of Origin (AoO).
  • Despite the identified needs in Amazonas state, operations of the cluster partners have been interrupted due to humanitarian access restrictions.
  • Most of partners have not received funds through the Response Plan yet, which significantly limits the implementation of field activities.