Peru
In Peru, HI has been working for several years with Venezuelan refugees and host communities to support them and give them access to healthcare services.
Our actions
A humanitarian staff talks with a beneficiary | Save the children
In recent years, Peru has been a host country for Venezuelan refugees. The number of new arrivals rose sharply in 2018 and 2019. In 2023, there are an estimated 1.5 million Venezuelan migrants living in the country. HI’s programme provides assistance to these refugees and to the host communities.
This assistance includes improving access to services for refugees, informing them of their rights and of existing care pathways and supporting them to ensure they can benefit from the necessary care services. HI notably facilitates their access to physical and functional rehabilitation care. Our teams also train health specialists to strengthen their skills in the field of rehabilitation.
They also work with refugees with disabilities and people with specific mental health and psychosocial support needs, helping them to overcome their difficulties through group sessions and individual interviews, providing them with a safe space for sharing and enabling them to seek advice from their peers and from specialists. The teams also organise awareness-raising sessions and workshops on sexual and reproductive health issues to inform refugees and host populations about their rights and answer their questions.
Finally, HI is working with other humanitarian actors in the country to train them in how to include the specific needs of people with disabilities when implementing their actions.
Areas of intervention
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a life
Background
Although Peru is experiencing significant economic growth, many people still live in poverty, as there are marked socio-economic inequalities.
Peru is a very heterogeneous country, with a varied geographical make-up and significant socio-economic inequalities. It is a "middle-income" country, with economic growth of around 6.6% over the past decade.
However, its neo-liberal economic policies have considerably reduced the presence of the state and the social sector, encouraging private investment and reducing legislation and rights. As a result, millions of people are trying to survive through various forms of precarious work and self-employment.
The country’s high levels of inequality lead to serious problems of social exclusion, discrimination and poverty. People with disabilities, and in particular women with disabilities, suffer even more as their level of access to education and employment remains much lower than the national average.
Furthermore, due to its geographical location, Peru is the Latin American country most affected by natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, landslides, etc.). Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country is prone to strong seismic activity causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It sees floods during the rainy season and also suffers from periods of drought. According to the Peruvian government, 60% of the population is exposed to the risk of natural disasters.
In recent years, Peru has been hosting a growing number of Venezuelan refugees, and the humanitarian needs of this population have been increasing simultaneously.
Number of HI staff: 8
Programmed opened in: 2018
