December 2020 UNICEF ECUADOR’S RESPONSE TO THE HUMAN MOBILITY CRISIS FROM VENEZUELA ©UNICEF/ECU/2020/Moreno © United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) UNICEF Ecuador Edificio Titanium Plaza, Av. República E7-61 Phone: (593-2) 2460330 www.unicef.org/ecuador Quito - Ecuador Design: Manthra Comunicación ©UNICEF/ECU/2020/Arcos Contents Situation overview: Human mobility from Venezuela ......................... 4 UNICEF at the borders ................................................... 8 Pillars of UNICEF’s response .............................................. 10 1.Humanitarian assistance to those in transit ............................. 11 2. Human rights: Comprehensive protection of children and adolescents ..... 14 3. Inclusion in the host country ......................................... 15 “Seamos amigos”: A Campaign to Prevent Xenophobia ...................... 20 Migration Response in the context of COVID-19 ............................. 22 UNICEF’s investment in human mobility 2018-2020 ........................... 24 Results of UNICEF’s Response in Numbers (June 2018 – August 2020) ......... 26 3 UNICEF Ecuador’s response 4 to the human mobility crisis from Venezuela Situation overview HUMAN MOBILITY FROM VENEZUELA ©UNICEF/ECU/2019/Arcos t least 1.1 million children and adolescents have left Venezuela in recent years. Many of A them travel separately from their families or unaccompanied. UNICEF has the mandate to protect their rights and has developed actions in Ecuador, following six humanitarian principles. ©UNICEF/ECU/2019/Arcos 1. Press for action on the causes of children he difficult socio-economic and political situ- leaving their homes: Prolonged conflicts, ation facing the Bolivarian Republic of Vene- T persisting violence, extreme poverty and in- zuela has led to a human mobility crisis that has, equality drive millions of children out of their to different extents, impacted a large number homes. UNICEF is calling for greater efforts of Latin American and Caribbean countries. The to protect children from conflict and address exodus of Venezuelan citizens to other states in the root causes of violence and poverty. Such the region in such a short time frame has result- efforts should include greater access to edu- ed in an unprecedented wave of people leaving cation, strengthening child health, protection the country, with significant numbers of them systems and social safety nets, expanding being children and adolescents; raising serious family income opportunities and employment concerns regarding their protection, especially for young people, as well as promoting toler- considering the precarious situations these mi- ance and peaceful conflict resolution. nors travel in and find themselves in recipient and transit countries. 2. Help migrating children stay in school and According to official data, it is estimated that stay healthy: Many refugee and migrant “more than 4 million Venezuelans are living children do not receive an education and abroad, the vast majority in South American coun- many lack access to health care and other tries, resulting in the largest exodus in the recent essential services. UNICEF calls for greater history of the region” (UNHCR, 2019). The crisis collective efforts from governments, com- has resulted in at least 1.1 million children and munities and the private sector to provide adolescents leaving the country, putting their children with access to education and health fundamental rights at risk, with the right to family services, as well as housing, nutrition, water life being of significant importance, considering and sanitation. A child’s immigration status that a prominent percentage of children and ad- should never be a barrier to access basic ser- olescents have been reported to be travelling vices. unaccompanied or separately from their fam- ilies. While many are in the process of reuniting 3. Keep families together and give children with their families, due to tightening immigration legal immigration status: Children travel- policies, they face difficulties completing their ing alone or who have been separated from journeys, and those traveling as part of a familial their families are more vulnerable to violence group often find themselves in an uncertain po- and abuse. UNICEF advocates for stricter sition regarding their presence within their host policies to prevent the separation of children country. from their parents and other family members in transit; as well as quicker procedures for As part of its humanitarian mandate, the United reuniting children and adolescents with their Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ecuador has families, including in countries of destination. actively engaged with the human mobility crisis, In addition, all children have the right to have supporting the efforts of national, provincial and their identity recognised and must be regis- cantonal authorities, in accordance to the six tered at birth. principles governing action on human mobility issues affecting children and adolescents at the global level: 5 UNICEF Ecuador’s response 6 to the human mobility crisis from Venezuela 4. End the detention of refugee and migrant 6. Protect migrating children from exploita- children by creating practical alternatives tion and violence: Refugee and migrant for care: Detention is detrimental to chil- children are extremely vulnerable to violence, dren’s health and well-being and can under- abuse, being enslaved, and to fall victim to mine their development. UNICEF is calling traffickers. UNICEF is calling for safer and for practical alternatives to detention for all more assured legal channels for children and children and adolescents. Those traveling adolescents to migrate and seek refuge. unaccompanied or who are separated should Taking decisive action against trafficking, especially benefit from alternative care ser- strengthening child protection systems and vices, such as supervised independent living, expanding access to information and assis- or other family and community-based housing tance can help keep children safe. Children arrangements. Refugee and migrant children and families should never be returned to face should not be detained under any circum- persecution or life-threatening danger in their stances. home countries. 5. Combat xenophobia and discrimination: In Ecuador, considering the Venezuelan popula- Children and adolescents undergoing human tion in mobility that entered the country before mobility are often stigmatised and victims of August 2019 and the Venezuelan population in discrimination and xenophobia; both during mobility currently entering the country, both are in their travels and at their final destinations. a situation of extreme vulnerability, usually having UNICEF urges local leaders, religious groups, travelled on foot from Venezuela, without access non-governmental organisations, the media to adequate food, shelter, water and sanitation and the private sector to combat xenophobia services. According to data collected by UNICEF and foster a better understanding between Ecuador and its partners, from 15 August 2018 to children and families in migration and their 31 April 2019, the situation for the population in host communities. Governments should also mobility, regarding access to services, and the ma- establish stricter measures to combat dis- jor concerns that affected them, during the peak crimination and marginalisation in countries of of the emergency consisted of the following1: transit and destination. os UN UN 019/Arc © ICEF/EC © ICEF/EC U/2 U/2 U/2 /EC 01 01 EF 9/ 9/ IC Ro Ar N m c U e os © ro 98% 43.7% 43.7% didn’t have enough reported not having reported not having money to reach their access to formal access to safe destination education in water on their trip Ecuador (Rumichaca) 1. Information collected from surveys of families with children and adolescents in human mobility in Rumichaca (Carchi Province) and San Miguel (Sucumbíos Province). While the data reflect the results of approximately 4,400 surveys, the results cannot be extrapolated to the entire population in mobility. How do children and adolescents travel? 14% With father and mother 14% ©UN Unaccompanied ICEF /EC U/ 20 Since the beginning of the crisis, 19 /A rc o s Ecuador’s changing regulatory scenario vis-à-vis human mobility has had repercussions on the arriving Venezuelan population, for example: 24% Separated June 2018 49% The decision was made to not Only with mother 4% recognise birth certificates Only with father of Venezuelan children and adolescents, due to the risks of falsification, and henceforth these documents ceased to be accepted as valid travel documents. 16.4% 33.7% of children with of children have been chronic malnutrition found with anemia January 2019 The presentation of a criminal record certificate became a prerequisite for Venezuelans seeking entry to Ecuador. August 2019 Presidential Decree 826 instituted the Humanitarian Visa requirement for all Venezuelan citizens and that the visa must be obtained before entering Ecuador. The decree did not provide exceptions for children and their families seeking entry to Ecuador. The first two measures were revoked by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court for being contrary to Ecuador’s Constitution and its ©UNICEF/ECU/2020/Moreno Human Mobility Act. 7 UNICEF Ecuador’s response 8 to the human mobility crisis from Venezuela ince May 2018, UNICEF Ecuador has responded to the hu- man mobility crisis on the country’s northern and southern S borders. Its actions, aligned with UNICEF’s