GENEVA - UN experts* today warned that Venezuela is facing a catastrophe that is dramatically exacerbating the vulnerabilities of the population and worsening the human rights and humanitarian crises the country has endured for years in the aftermath of the 24 June earthquakes.
"Given the magnitude of the tragedy, civil society has taken on an indispensable role and must be fully taken into account in the next phases of the response," the experts said, expressing their solidarity with the Venezuelan people.
Existing organisations, including human rights groups, and new neighborhood networks, as well as international organisations, are participating in the search for missing persons, contributing to the identification of the deceased, providing direct assistance to victims, and delivering vital services and support that would otherwise not reach the affected communities.
The experts stressed that this essential role, including though the provision of healthcare services, medicines and supplies must be recognised by Venezuelan authorities and the international community.
"Despite its importance, this vital role is severely hampered and threatened by existing regulatory restrictions, including the Law on the Oversight, Regularisation, Operation, and Financing of Non-Governmental Organisations and Non-Profit Social Organisations," they said. This law requires organisations to complete registration or re-registration procedures with the Autonomous Service of Registries and Notaries (SAREN), which in practice, are impossible due to the government's administrative silence, thereby jeopardising their viability and arbitrarily suspending the organisations' legal status.
The Venezuelan Superintendency of Banking Sector Institutions (SUDEBAN) has established regulations that require banks to subject NGOs to excessive oversight compared to other actors, creating obstacles to the receipt or management of funds. These restrictions affect all organisations, including international ones.
"Venezuelan authorities must put an end to these restrictions and, instead, promote measures that facilitate the work of civil society as an indispensable part of the reconstruction effort, including women and people from traditionally marginalised groups. This must also include facilitating forms of aid such as cash transfers to affected individuals, a common aid delivery practice that is currently unavailable in the country," the experts said.
"It is essential that the authorities brief law enforcement officials on their obligations during the emergency - particularly regarding the protection of citizen-led relief, such as collection centers, and the activities of national and international organisations - to ensure that past patterns of repression are not repeated," they said.
The experts reiterated that, in disaster contexts, the State must give priority to facilitating humanitarian action and respect the work of all organisations, while promoting solutions that strengthen resilience. "A coordinated response, free from undue restrictions, is urgently needed to ensure unhindered access for international cooperation, with a human rights-based approach centred on victims," they said.
They urged the international community - including the United Nations and all actors providing support from abroad - to ensure that local civil society can operate freely.
"Civil society must be respected as a key partner in the processes of delivering aid, monitoring the transparency of resources used, and safeguarding rights in disaster response," the experts said.
"The provision of emergency shelter, reconstruction plans and other long-term solutions should involve the meaningful participation of affected persons, including internally displaced persons. Disaster response must be carried out in accordance with international human rights standards."
