Safe spaces in Colombia offer respite to Venezuelan migrants

Safe spaces in Colombia offer respite to Venezuelan migrants
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Women at a safe space in Saravena, Arauca, one of 19 in Colombia that serve Venezuelan migrants who are survivors of gender-based violence. © UNFPA Colombia
BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Griseida, 28, left Venezuela when she couldn’t find a job to feed her five children. Thirty-five-year-old Marlyng, too, left when there was no work to be found, leaving behind two of three children until she could get settled. They are just two of the approximate 1.6 million migrants in Colombia – the majority of whom have no status – to leave Venezuela’s years-long humanitarian crisis.
On 8 February, Colombia’s president Iván Duque gave fresh hope to Venezuelan migrants by granting them temporary legal status for 10 years, at which point they can apply for residency. The much-lauded move allows migrants to work and access health care. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are an estimated 5.4 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees around the world. According to a January report, 162,000 caminantes (migrants on foot) will pass through Colombia this year. Many of the women and girls are at risk of sexual exploitation and violence. As of December 2020, foreigners reporting the highest number of cases of violence were Venezuelan women, according to the Integrated Information System on Gender Violence (SIVIGE).

Related Keywords

Colombia , Arauca , Venezuela , Colombian , Venezuelan , , United Nations Refugee Agency , Integrated Information System , Gender Violence , Norte De Santander , கொலம்பியா , வெநெஸ்வேலா , கொலம்பியன் , வெநெஸ்வேலந் , ஒருங்கிணைந்த தகவல் அமைப்பு , ஜெஂடர் வன்முறை , நார்ட் டி சாந்தண்டர் ,