UNICEF LACRO Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1 (Children on the move, including Venezuelans) – Half-yearly 2024 – Brazil

Highlights

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) continue to face political, social, economic and environmental crises. In 2024, migration movements, violence, climate change and increasing insecurity due to organised crime continued to affect countries in the region, exacerbating exclusion and vulnerability of people and severely affecting children.

In 2024, UNICEF’s humanitarian response in the 10 LAC countries covered by this appeal will have reached more than 14,000 children with child protection services, while approximately 6,000 women, girls and boys have accessed risk reduction, prevention or response interventions based on gender-based violence. Approximately 35,000 children have accessed education.

In 2024, UNICEF received US$22.4 million of its US$177.4 million appeal. With US$2.8 million in transferred funding, the appeal was 13 percent funded. Despite the generous contributions received, significant funding gaps remain, limiting UNICEF’s ability to respond effectively to humanitarian needs and make progress against targets in critical areas of support.

FINANCING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS

As of June 30, UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for Children on the Move in South America and crisis-affected communities was 13 percent funded (US$22.4 million), including US$2.8 million carried over from 2023 and US$19.6 million received in 2024. This included generous contributions from the United States Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) and the European Union (EU). Additional generous contributions were received from UNICEF National Committees and pooled Global Thematic Humanitarian funds.
Flexible and timely resources are crucial to enable UNICEF to support essential, evidence-based national humanitarian responses that address immediate needs and mitigate the long-term impact on vulnerable refugee and migrant children, including Venezuelans and other nationalities, and other crisis-affected communities, including countries included in this appeal, including Brazil and Colombia. Despite contributions received, funding gaps persist, limiting the capacity to respond to needs and track progress against targets in critical areas of support.

UNICEF continued to work with national authorities, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other United Nations agencies, together with national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), to ensure that the rights of children and families on the move are protected. UNICEF’s response is aligned with the Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants 2024 Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan and the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan for Colombia.

SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

Millions of children and families in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are on the run, leaving their homes and communities because of conditions in their countries of origin.

Some begin their journeys because of poverty or the collapse of essential services. For others, it is the threat of armed violence or the devastating impact of extreme weather events. Whatever the reason, these journeys are often risky for children on the move.4 It is estimated that there will be 7.77 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants worldwide in 2024. Of this total, approximately 6.59 million are living in Latin America and the Caribbean, reflecting the significant impact of the Venezuelan migration crisis on the region.5 This significant migration highlights the profound impact of the Venezuelan crisis on the region, where host countries continue to grapple with significant humanitarian challenges. Many of the migrants are children, who are in urgent need of protection and assistance.
Tighter immigration measures in some countries have created significant challenges. Migrants and refugees without official documentation are often trapped at border crossings, without access to basic services. This situation forces many into precarious situations, such as informal, low-paid work or sexual exploitation, or forces them to travel along irregular routes, where they are exposed to violence, including gender-based violence, trafficking and smuggling. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable, and refugee and migrant children face increased protection risks, including violence, psychosocial distress and exploitation.

Moreover, in 2024, Latin America and the Caribbean continues to face a complex network of crises, including migration, violence, climate change and increasing insecurity due to organized crime.

These interlinked challenges have deepened social exclusion and vulnerability in the region, with children bearing the brunt. In Brazil, the humanitarian crisis in the Yanomami region exemplifies the gravity of the situation, as it includes violence against indigenous peoples, disease outbreaks, and a tragic increase in child mortality. Similarly, in Colombia, the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan estimates that 8.3 million people (approximately 30 percent children)6 are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the combined effects of internal armed conflict and extreme climate events. Children and adolescents in the region face multiple and overlapping threats, including conflict, displacement, human mobility, and malnutrition. These crises are further exacerbated by persistent extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, which continue to ravage the region.