UNICEF to expand Venezuelan child migrant response

UNICEF Guyana is partnering with several organisations to increase its response to the needs of Venezuelan child migrants and host communities.

According to a press release from the institution, UNICEF representative, Sylvie Fouet, noted that the partnerships are geared toward ensuring functional services for all children, and will be a complement to longer-term investments for a Child Protection Programme locally.

The partnerships include one with the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Citizenship to ensure documentation services are accessible, including for birth registration; working along with the Region One and Four Regional Executive Offices, Childcare and Protection Agency and Blossoms Inc in Regions One, Two and Seven, to support access to services for children who are sexually abused; and joining with Help & Shelter Ltd and the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic to provide access to referral services for legal aid and violence prevention and response.

UNICEF highlighted that it has also supported the work of the Sexual Offences Court and the Family Court, and has forged partnerships with the Ministry of Social Protection on issues concerning children without adequate parental care, and also the the Ministry of Legal Affairs, on the HCCH Conventions. 

Apart from focusing on child protection, however, UNICEF noted that its relief response also includes interventions in water and hygiene promotion (WASH), as well as Education and Adolescent Development.

“No one organization can work alone and today’s engagement is an opportunity to forge greater partnerships between state and non-state sectors,” it was noted.