United Nations launches the 2021 Venezuela Humanitarian Response Plan to assist 4.5 million people

(Caracas, 18 June 2021). The United Nations and humanitarian partners launched the 2021 Venezuela Humanitarian Response Plan that aims to assist 4.5 million vulnerable Venezuelan women, men, children and adolescents. The Plan appeals for US$708.1 million.

“This Plan aims to give continuity and scale up the impact of the humanitarian response in Venezuela. Throughout 2020, we have reached 4.9 million people with some form of assistance, demonstrating the capacity of the United Nations and our partners to adapt to a new context marked by the pandemic and reach the most vulnerable population, including women, children and adolescents”, said Mr. Jan Harfst, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim in Venezuela.

This Plan, which is an update of the 2020 Plan, aims to provide life-saving emergency assistance, secure livelihoods through improving access to basic services, and ensure the protection of the most vulnerable. To date, international donors have given US$83.9 million in 2021. Achieving the targets for funding and access to the most vulnerable people will enable the implementation of 223 projects by 144 humanitarian actors, including UN agencies and international and national NGOs working in partnership with national institutions. Assistance will focus on health; water, sanitation and hygiene; food security and nutrition; shelter; protection; and education.

"Fighting the pandemic and supporting the health needs of the population remain our top priorities, but we are also focused on addressing other needs related to livelihoods, access to basic services and the protection of the most vulnerable populations, among others," said Harfst. "I thank donors for their solidarity and for contributing nearly US$258 million to the response in 2020. I also call on them to increase their support this year and help us address the most urgent humanitarian needs."

In 2021, the operational capacity to implement the Humanitarian Response Plan has scaled up due to the increase in the number of humanitarian actors, including the World Food Program. To facilitate the work of these actors, the United Nations calls for the securing of humanitarian access, including for national and international NGOs. In this regard, it is necessary to facilitate spaces for dialogue and to build trust between all parties to promote humanitarian action based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence and to ensure the protection of all humanitarian personnel.

For further information, please contact:

Elena Ruiz Labrador, Public Information Officer, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): elena.ruizlabrador@un.org; Tel: +58 424 208 8609