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Current Requirements (US$)$719.6 million
Analysis of the context, crisis and needs
In 2022, there have been signs of economic stabilization and growth in Venezuela. In August 2022, the central bank announced that the country’s economy had grown 17 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022, the highest growth in the Latin America region. However, despite these positive developments, it will take time for Venezuela to address important socioeconomic challenges. This is due to the large-scale economic contraction over the last eight years; the lack of fiscal space to address the structural causes that limit the provision of essential services, such as health care, clean water, education and energy supply; and the most vulnerable people still having limited access to economic opportunities to resolve their basic needs.
Feedback provided by communities living under the most vulnerable conditions indicates that access to food, livelihoods and health care is at the centre of people’s concerns and priorities. While food and non-food items are available in shops and markets, vulnerable families face difficulties in accessing these due to limited purchasing power in a context of rising prices and high inflation (reaching an accumulated 119.4 per cent between January and October 2022). Increases in the minimum salary (equivalent to US$25) are insufficient to cover the basic food basket, estimated at $350 in July 2022. This situation is exacerbated for people living in rural areas with reduced access to fuel, or for elderly people living on fixed incomes based on local currency. Food security and nutrition remain a priority, and while there have been some improvements, the prevalence of undernourishment remains high. Electricity and domestic gas remain unreliable sources of energy for cooking, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, leading to the use of firewood.
In 2022, Venezuela has experienced several increases in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths related to the Omicron variant. After a latest increase between June and July 2022, the trend has been decreasing since the beginning of August 2022. After supporting the national pandemic response, health priorities have focused on re-establishing essential health services, especially for chronic diseases, access to sexual and reproductive rights, and implementing the regular vaccination programme. The focus on COVID-19 also affected the epidemiological surveillance of re-emergent diseases, and underreporting is common. Teenage pregnancies remain a priority, as the adolescent fertility rate is estimated to reach 82 expected births per 1,000 women aged between 15 and 19 in 2022, representing more than double the regional rate. The pandemic also affected mental health issues, with partners reporting an increase in psychosocial support consultations, especially for children and adolescents. Health services continue to be affected by insufficient water and sanitation conditions and the lack of an electricity supply in health-care facilities.
Caracas, Venezuela
Children during classes at Las Mayas Fe y Alegría institution, on Oct. 28th, 2021. This is the first week back to in-person classes in Venezuela since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic
UNICEF/Gustavo VeraThe return to in-person classes started on 25 October 2021. This has required significant support to ensure safe learning conditions in educational facilities (including rehabilitation and restoration of basic services), and support to teachers and to children and adolescents at risk of dropping out. While school-feeding programmes have been critical to promote attendance and retention, humanitarian partners continue to observe school dropouts, especially in adolescents, due to the need to look for work opportunities, or due to teenage pregnancies.
The lack of livelihood opportunities and access to basic services result in the most vulnerable people adopting negative coping mechanisms, such as reducing the number of meals or quantity of food, using unsafe water for drinking, or engaging in informal economic activities. As a result, these vulnerable communities, especially in areas affected by localized insecurity, face protection risks related to violence, exploitation and abuse, including human trafficking, where girls, boys and women are at particular risk. There also continues to be significant reports of gender-based violence, especially femicide and intimate-partner violence. Overall, these protection risks are exacerbated by the lack of available protection services to respond to survivors’ needs.
Mixed-migration flows continue, including people intending to leave, returnees and/or people engaged in pendular movements between Colombia and Venezuela. Most people that leave the country do so mainly in search of work opportunities, whilst those returning, an increasing trend, do so for family reunification purposes or due to difficulties faced in the host country.
The 2022 rainy season, intensified by climate change, heavily affected tens of thousands of people in more than 10 states due to overflowing rivers, landslides and floods destroying housing in high-risk areas. In October, landslides in the town of Las Tejerias, in Aragua State, killed at least 56 people and destroyed more than 750 houses. These rains also had negative impacts on small producers’ productive capacity, reducing access to productive lands, damaging small businesses and warehouses, and causing the loss of productive assets.
Amazonas State, Venezuela
Children eat lunch at a public school in Amazonas State, thanks to a food programme implemented by UNICEF.
OCHA/Héctor PereiraProjected situation in 2023 and beyond
Economic projections indicate a 12 per cent GDP growth in 2022 and 5 per cent in 2023, well above regional estimates. National oil production increased to 692,000 barrels per day in August (a 24 per cent increase compared to the 2021 average), while international oil prices soared in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine. These trends could generate more investments in essential services and economic recovery. However, they will be limited by the impact of broad sectoral sanctions and are unlikely to translate into immediate changes for the most vulnerable people, who will continue to face humanitarian needs.
Regarding migration trends, the announcement by the US Government on 12 October on joint actions with Mexico to reduce the number of Venezuelans arriving at the US border raises the likelihood of an increase in returns. The Colombian Government’s flexibilization of requirements on 8 October for Venezuelans coming into the country is also likely to increase mixed-migration flows between the two countries.
Other factors to consider are the impact of the war in Ukraine on global food prices, the ongoing recovery of the global transport industry, and the inflationary pressures on local and international currencies, which might further impact the ability of the most vulnerable Venezuelans to afford food.
The rainy season has intensified due to the impact of climate change. This will increase the risk of flooding and landslides for people living in high-risk areas, and continue to negatively impact their productive capacity and ability to access markets.
On 26 November, the Government and opposition resumed the dialogue and negotiation process facilitated by Norway in Mexico. They are to announce a social agreement that could see State resources frozen abroad invested in health, electricity, education and food security. If enough resources are mobilized and the agreement is implemented, this could lead to a reduction in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Amazonas, Venezuela
A woman from the Piaroa Indigenous ethnic group bathes a baby at a water point close to her house.
OCHA/Héctor PereiraResponse priorities in 2023
As of October 2022, the humanitarian response has reached 2.2 million people throughout the country, expanding to previously hard-to-reach priority States, such as Indigenous areas in Amazonas and Delta Amacuro, where there has been a significant increase in the number of humanitarian organizations, and in outreach to vulnerable populations in isolated communities.
Venezuela HRP
The 2022-23 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) promotes a greater emphasis on intersectoral and sustainable interventions that include institutional, community and individual capacity-building, with the objective of improving the provision of essential services, restoring livelihoods and strengthening resilience. Priorities also include providing specialized assistance to ensure the physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of people affected by different forms of violence, as well as strengthening preparedness and response to natural disasters.
Access to and engagement with authorities have improved implementation rates. However, access issues continue to hinder the delivery of assistance, including logistical, administrative and bureaucratic impediments, insecurity in some areas, limited availability of fuel, problems in telecommunications services, and heavy rains impacting road access.
After a 50 per cent increase in humanitarian funding between 2020 and 2021, the humanitarian response has received US$287.9 million as of 24 November 2022, with the HRP only 36.2 per cent funded. Funding trends are expected to decrease in 2023, which will represent a major challenge for the implementation of a quality and at-scale response.
References
- OPS/OMS. Tablero de indicadores básicos. Tablero de los indicadores básicos | PAHO/EIH Open Data
- Reports by Colombian Migration and Brasilian Migration
- ECLAC, New Growth Projections for Latin America and the Caribbean 2022-2023, 19 October 2022.