In regions Americas and Venezuela and in group Americas

Venezuela

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2020-12 Factsheet

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< Nov 2020
December 2020
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Before (2019) and after (2020) of a commnity space in San Antonio (Táchira). SNFI Cluster and UNHCR PI unit, respectively.

Highlights

  • During 2020, the Cluster, through partners organisations, benefited a total of 515,395 people (33% children, 39% adult females, and 28% adult males) who received assistance to improve their shelter conditions, access to energy/electricity, and/or received assistance through NFI distributions.
  • Since the beginning of 2020, dynamics of human mobility in country have increased, which has had an impact on humanitarian needs related to shelter, energy and NFI. The number of spontaneous returnees increased considerably through the middle of the year due to the COVID-19 outbreaks in the region, but returnee figures started to decrease through the last quarter of 2020 and remained very low in December 2020, except in the Venezuelan-Brazilian border.
  • In March, the authorities declared the State of Alarm (extended through 13 January 2021), including border closure and countrywide movement restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus. National authorities stablished temporary shelter arrangements (e.g. schools, public buildings, hotels, among others) called Puntos de Atención Social Integral (PASI) mainly in border municipalities where returnees had to remain for quarantine.
  • In an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, the COVID-19 Intersectoral Plan was published in April. The Cluster had to readapt its strategy and temporarily assumed Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) functions to support the national and local authorities to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, while supported the provision of assistance in quarantine centres during the emergency.

NFI

Shelter

Need analysis

  • There is a need to strengthen the capacities of the Shelter Cluster partners to respond to outbreaks of endemic diseases, flooding and other emergencies, including earthquakes, and develop specific contingency plans.
  • During 2020, limitations in access to basic services including power outages and the lack of domestic gas bottles were reported by communities located in border and central states. Prolonged power outages limited the access to other basic services, including water, and the provision of assistance with alternative sources of electricity remains as a priority for 2021. During the last months of the year, limitations in accessing domestic gas increased, which led to a massive use of firewood as a source of energy for cooking. This has consequences on both the environment and respiratory health.
  • The influx of Venezuelan returnees in 2020 generated an increase in humanitarian needs in terms of shelter, access to energy and distribution of basic NFI in their Areas of Origin (AoO), the provision of assistance in PASI, including infection protection and control items (IPC), by partner organisations as key to guarantee safe returns. Additional difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic such as inadequate sanitary and health conditions in temporary shelter arrangements were reported in multiple locations throughout the country.

Response

  • Through 2020, a total of 515,395 individuals (57% female and 43% male) benefited from a better access to safe shelter, energy and/or basic NFIs in 12 states and Distrito Capital, including Táchira (294,984), Zulia (84,233), Bolívar (43,043), Apure (24,261), Distrito Capital (18,474), and Miranda (17,648).
  • Activities targeting temporary shelter arrangements have reached over 84 Puntos de Atención Social Integral (PASI) throughout the country (with most of them in border states) and other forms of temporary shelters (e.g. churches), with 91,020 individuals who were supported with temporary shelter, including the installation of 100 Refugee Housing Units (RHUs) and 1 rubb-hall, and NFI distributions. Capacity building activities to strengthen both coordination and management capacities were organised jointly and have reached 763 staff members working in Government-led PASI.
  • Activities targeting health facilities, state led institutions and community centres have reached 373,278 individuals supported in over 53 health establishments and community centres, including the installation of 117 Refugee Housing Units (RHUs) and 1 rubb-hall for isolation and triage.
  • Other activities targeted prioritised communities, reaching 51,097 vulnerable individuals in Amazonas, Apure, Barinas, Bolívar, Distrito Capital, Falcón, La Guaira, Miranda, Táchira, Zulia, Carabobo and Mérida states, including the distribution of a total of 6,163 solar lamps, benefiting 17,873 individuals, NFI distributions and habitat kits benefiting 35,668 individuals.

Gaps / challenges

  • The lack of fuel in country continue affecting the implementation of activities of partner organisations countrywide.
  • Movement restrictions that were put in place due to the spread of the pandemic have severely impacted the operations of partner organisations.
  • During 2020, most of partners did not any receive funds through the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which significantly limited the implementation of relevant shelter, energy and NFI activities in country. The early publication of the 2021 HRP in January is expected to contribute to a better funding of the response.