María Vives has been a collaborator of ARCORES and currently works for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Geneva. We have asked her to talk about one of her most challenging experiences on the occasion of International Women’s Day, tomorrow March 8: migrant and refugee women.
María Vives Requena collaborates in the donor relations section of UNHCR, but she already has a long career in the field of the fight for Human Rights as a specialist in International Relations.
She has worked or collaborated with institutions such as the Sustainable Innovation Hub Research, the NGO Smiles in Bombay, the Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia, Justícia i Pau or the Augustinian Recollect International Solidarity Network, ARCORES.
Specialized in development, humanitarian aid, program management, grant administration, conflict response, child protection or gender dynamics, we give her the floor to celebrate and raise awareness about International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on the gender inequalities that persist throughout the world.
It is significant, as an example, to make visible the situation of Venezuelan migrant women in Colombia, who face multiple barriers and challenges in their integration process after their arrival and in accessing humanitarian aid.
The Venezuelan crisis has forced millions of people to leave their country in search of better conditions. Women are more than half of these migrants. In January 2024, it was estimated that 2.9 million Venezuelans had moved to Colombia in the last ten years, since the explosion of this migration crisis.
The experience of every migrant is marked by structural, cultural and social obstacles. In the case of women, traditional gender norms continue to pigeonhole them into roles of care and domestic work, limiting their employment and economic opportunities.
According to the World Bank, only 32% of Venezuelan migrant women have access to formal employment, which restricts their autonomy. Added to this is discrimination due to their migrant status and, in many cases, their ethnic origin. A study by the Ombudsman’s Office indicates that 70% of Venezuelan women in Colombia have experienced some type of discrimination in their daily lives.
Gender violence is also a constant threat. In the last year it has increased by 20% for migrant women, according to figures from human rights organizations. During their transit and after arriving at their destination, they are significantly exposed to situations of abuse, labor and sexual exploitation.
Despite the efforts of humanitarian organizations and authorities, the response and attention to their specific needs is insufficient. The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) says that 45% of Venezuelan migrant women have difficulty accessing health services and 40% have not been able to enroll their children in the Colombian education system.
Despite these adversities, Venezuelan women demonstrate an enormous capacity for resilience. They have built support networks, spaces of solidarity and resistance, essential for their social and economic integration, as they provide access to information, employment and public and private assistance networks.
These networks strive to achieve the goals of empowering migrant women and giving them autonomy with job training programs, psychosocial support, microcredits and gender-sensitive health services.
However, their reach remains limited. To ensure true inclusion and protection, a comprehensive approach to humanitarian and integration public policies is essential. It is necessary to include the gender perspective in humanitarian aid, ensuring that the specific needs of women are prioritized.
Furthermore, the fight against gender violence must be strengthened with accessible prevention and response mechanisms; the active participation of women in decision-making on migration policies and integration programs; and raising awareness throughout society to reduce discrimination and xenophobia, promoting coexistence and respect for the rights of all people.
Every March 8, we remember that the fight for gender equality has no borders. The migration reality, so subject today to all kinds of social discussion, is an opportunity for change and social transformation only if migrant women receive the support and protection they deserve and need from the whole of society.
