According to the R4V Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants, sex workers from Guyana’s refugee and migrant community are among the most vulnerable groups in the country.
The R4V is a collective of over 200 organizations, including United Nation (UN) agencies, civil society, faith-based organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs). These agencies coordinate their efforts under Venezuela’s Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) in 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In their Guyana RMRP for 2023-2024, published in March, they noted that sex workers experience serious human rights violations and exploitation, which places them among the most vulnerable groups.
It is important to note that in 2019, after months of research, the organization released a report which noted that Venezuelan women were facing significant barriers to accessing job opportunities in Guyana. These barriers included language and a lack of professional references which resulted in many Venezuelan women ending up working in places where they are likely to be exploited and abused by employers or co-workers, with some resorting to survival sex in order to support their families in Venezuela.
It emphasized that the situation extends to Regions One and Seven, where the lack of other options leaves women with little choice.
The report also stressed the need for legal representation and documentation for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, given the continuing protection concerns.
While the Guyanese government and R4V partners have made efforts to respond to the needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, it said many still face significant challenges in accessing food, shelter, and health services.
Further expounding on this matter, the organization said, “By September 2022, the price of food had increased by more than 11% compared to previous years, thereby eroding purchasing power and creating severe food insecurity which impacted the refugee and migrant and host communities. Remote areas such as rural and rainforest regions have been more acutely impacted by food insecurity owing to insufficient infrastructure to deliver food assistance. Further, a lack of safe and dignified shelter has been a burden for the Venezuelan population”.
Looking forward, the R4V anticipates that the Venezuelan population will continue to grow in 2023 and 2024 due to significant economic growth and the projected future economic growth of 49.7% per annum following the discovery of oil and gas.
As such, the interagency group said it is crucial that measures are put in place to address the needs of this vulnerable community, including legal support and access to essential services.
