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WASH Colombia: Situation Report First Quarter 2021

Pays
Colombie
+ 1
Sources
GIFMM
+ 1
Date de publication
Origine
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SITUATION

  • According to the Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) 2021, there are 2.82M people with WASH needs, of which 17% are returnee Colombians, 17% are people from host communities, 39% comprise the in-destination population, 4% are those in transit and 22% consist of the pendular population. The sector intends to respond to the needs of 633 thousand people through action by WASH partner organizations.

  • On March 1, 2021 the Government of Colombia launched the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) initiative to regularize more than 1.8M Venezuelan refugees and migrants within the country. Through the enacting and implementation of this statute, the refugee and migrant population will be able to access identification documents, opening up access to goods and services, including WASH services. This represents a Significantly boost the efforts to improve the quality and access to the assistance offered in the Colombian regions, predominantly communities settled in suburban areas. However, in light of the introduction of the TPS, a likely rise in the number of people entering Colombia has been identified, which will pose challenges to the WASH sector. As such, rapid action must be taken to ensure access to basic services backed up by other intersectoral initiatives, in order to promote integration and to establish the necessary conditions for the refugee, migrant and host populations.

  • On March 27, an Initial Joint Needs Assessment was conducted in Arauca by organizations from the Local Coordination Team and the Local GIFMM. This was in response to a situation entailing the displacement of 4,501 people with international protection needs (1,127 families), of which 83% were identified as Venezuelans and 17% Colombians. In terms of WASH, almost all key informants mentioned access to services and hygiene products as the most pressing issue, above all due to shortcomings in infrastructure, such as showers and sinks. In 42 out of the 50 discussion groups, 85% of the participants stated access to sanitation and hygiene products as being the main priority for girls and women. Likewise, the need for cleaning kits was prioritized (29 groups). Moreover, it was highlighted that access to drinking water was limited owing to a lack of plumbing and the poor condition of installed infrastructure. Access to hygiene products has also been limited due to a lack of economic resources and, in some cases, the distance of markets. Also, a lack of biosecurity equipment was highlighted, such as face-coverings, alcohol, gel, and soap.

  • A joint response was conducted as part of the back-to-back strategy between the GIFMM and OCHA in light of the emergency in Arauquita. This situation arose due to the arrival of Venezuelans with international protection needs and Colombians to the municipality of Arauquita (Arauca) from the state of Apure (Venezuela) following clashes between the armed forces of Venezuela and armed groups. The first report has already been publish regarding the situation. It was identified that the population required assistance to their WASH needs, particularly regarding access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services, as well as the promotion of good hygiene and water care practices.
    The ACAPS organization has provided vital information on important WASH aspects through a thematic report on the needs and vulnerabilities of Venezuelan refugees and migrants traveling by foot from January 2021.

  • Water: Venezuelans traveling by foot, known as caminantes, lack reliable access to drinking water, as well as water for bathing and washing clothes. When traveling through rural zones in particular, the caminantes may depend on water from rivers and streams, which represents a health risk since the water may be contaminated and not suitable for human Sanitation: Access to sanitation facilities during the trip is severely limited. Although the shelters for refugees and migrants or Support Spaces situated along key points throughout the main routes may offer some intermittent access, the caminantes often have to resort to defecating outdoors.

  • Hygiene: The caminantes lack access to personal hygiene products such as hand soaps and disinfectants, as well as access to handwash facilities, which is instrumental in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

  • The humanitarian needs besetting La Guajira stem from being one of the departments suffering significant structural gaps at a national level, mainly due to inadequate access to basic services and their poor quality. This has led to the population suffering recurring emergency situations. As such, a REACH market assessment was conducted in seven of the department’s municipalities, which integrated surveys from 202 consumers/households, 142 traders, and eight contractors. The households surveyed represented a total of 1,004 people, with each household having an average of 5 people, predominantly between the ages of 18 and 59. Of the information collected, 54% corresponded to urban areas, 38% to rural areas, and 8% to households located in settlements.

  • Consumers/households: refers to Venezuelan and Colombian households situated in urban areas. Less than 50% of households claimed to have sinks inside the home, a troubling figure given that the surveys were conducted in an urban setting, where such a significant gap would not have been expected regarding this provision. In addition to this, only a little more than 30% claimed to have a sewage system, whilst a high percentage of the households surveyed reported to having to defecate outside, occurring mainly in the municipality of Uribia 40%.

  • In terms of access to water, more than 80% claimed to have storage tanks; however, the means of coping identified entailed: using fridges laid on their side, plastic bowls, and improvised pools. In all seven municipalities, the population surveyed stated that the water quality was good on average. However, in terms of continuity of service, a large percentage of households surveyed in the municipality of San Juan del Cesar stated that they regularly receive a service two or three times a week. In Riohacha, some households expressed to have a weekly service, while in Dibulla 37% of the households surveyed stated that the service ran every 15 days. The vast majority of households do not use any water purification methods, and in terms of sanitation measures, wastewater goes untreated.

  • Another key finding revealed that those surveyed experienced problems when trying to access the market due to a lack of financial resources and a rise in the prices of products, particularly consumables such as alcohol and disposable face coverings. A fall in income represents one of the gravest impacts of the crisis, which stemmed from the COVID-19 health emergency. In terms of hygiene practices, the findings indicated that since the start of the pandemic, 88% have carried out disinfecting activities, mainly making use of alcohol, hand soap, chlorine, and detergent.

  • Traders: This population stated that they had not suffered problems of scarcity prior to the data collection period, meaning before November 13. However, they did report that the products which were hardest to come by were alcohol, face coverings, and antibacterial gel, which indicates that whilst the income of consumers has fallen, the difficulty of access was in part due to a scarcity of self-care products. One of the difficulties reported was related to replenishment, which has been linked to the transport times of providers.

  • Service providers: They provided their services without any restrictions in urban areas, a converse situation to that in rural zones, since only 2 out of 8 providers surveyed stated to operating specifically in the area of cleaning.