Protection in Emergencies in Venezuela

Venezuela is facing a national emergency following two consecutive high-magnitude earthquakes (7.2 and 7.5) that struck on 24 June 2026. At least seven states have been affected, with Caracas, La Guaira (the hardest-hit area) and Miranda officially declared disaster zones. As of 13 July, authorities reported 4,490 deaths and 16,740 injured. Government efforts remain focused on search-and-rescue operations and emergency assistance, while the United Nations and humanitarian partners continue to scale up a coordinated multisectoral response. 

There is a growing number of official transitional camps, plus many informal settlements. Women and children living in those camps face heightened protection risks, with prolonged displacement increasing exposure to gender-based violence. At the same time, Venezuela continues to experience the effects of a decade-long migration and human mobility crisis, with an estimated 9 million people having left the country since 2018. The earthquakes have further intensified internal displacement and cross-border movements. In this context, limited emergency and recovery capacities risk exacerbating social tensions and triggering additional migration flows across the region and beyond.

Direct beneficiaries: An estimated 8,000 women, adolescent girls, children and caregivers will receive direct, individual or group-based protection services, including:

- 360 women and adolescent girls receiving survivor-centred GBV case management;

- 360 adolescent girls completing a Girl Shine cycle;

- 600 children and caregivers receiving Child Protection case management;

- 360 children completing a FACE intervention cycle;

- and 1,080 children supported through 4 Child-Friendly/Safe Spaces.

Indirect beneficiaries: an estimated 28,224 community members reached through awareness-raising sessions on GBV prevention and response (4,320) and on child protection issues (4,320), in addition to family and household members of direct beneficiaries who benefit indirectly from improved safety, referral pathways and community-based protection mechanisms.

Outcome 1: Crisis-affected women and adolescent girls have improved access to quality, survivor-centred protection services and to strengthened community-based protection mechanisms that reduce protection risks and enhance resilience.

Outcome 2: Crisis-affected children and caregivers have improved access to child-centred protection services and strengthened community-based protection mechanisms that contribute to children's safety and well-being.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Output 1.1: Women and adolescent girls at heightened risk of gender-based violence have access to timely, survivor-centred individual protection services.

Output 1.2: Women and adolescent girls strengthen their knowledge, protective capacities and access to community-based protection mechanisms.

Output 2.1: Children at heightened protection risk receive timely, child-centred individual protection services.

Output 2.2: Children and caregivers strengthen their protective capacities through communitybased child protection interventions.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Following the departure of the Swiss Rescue Chain, a multidisciplinary Swiss Expert Team (SET) remained to implement immediate response activities and assess priority humanitarian needs. Protection, prevention of GBV and mental health was initially identified as a critical priority by UN OCHA and confirmed through SET assessments, community consultations, and coordination with authorities and humanitarian partners. 

Based on the identified gaps and the priorities expressed by the affected community and camp authorities, this intervention was developed with International Rescue Committee (IRC), a current partner of SDC in Venezuela.

The IRC’s activities will be coordinated with:

- The Protection Cluster and its child protection and GBV AoRs,

- UN agencies (UNHCR, IOM, OCHA, UNICEF),

- Local and international NGOs present in La Guaira, specifically those at the prioritized camps.

- Civil society partners,

- SET WASH and Health interventions.

- Relevant local authorities on GBV, and the Child and Adolescent Protection System and Ombudsman’s Offices.

The programme aligns with the SDC Protection and localization programmes in Venezuela.