Nearly 40% of Venezuelans in the Dominican Republic are one step closer to gaining regular status.

Nearly 40% of Venezuelans in the Dominican Republic are one step closer to gaining regular status.

 

The partners of the Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (R4V) in the Dominican Republic salute the national government for the achievements made during the first year of implementation of the Normalization Plan for Venezuelans (PNV), which seeks to guarantee access to the regularization of Venezuelans living in the country.

To date, more than 40,000 Venezuelans have registered with the PNV and 17,000 have already received their visas (the majority as temporary workers) and thousands of others continue to go through some of the three phases of the plan.

Dominican Republic is the first recipient country of the Venezuelan population in the Caribbean and the eighth in Latin America. Of the more than 5 million people who left Venezuela for neighboring countries in the region, nearly 116,000 chose to seek safety and new opportunities in the Dominican Republic.

Since the start of the PNV in April 2021, the R4V National Platform in the country, co-led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in coordination with 15 partner organizations , has accompanied and supported the efforts of the Dominican government to facilitate the access of the Venezuelan population to regular stay, which will translate into better access to basic rights such as health, job opportunities in the formal market and education.

To facilitate the implementation of the PNV, an alliance has been consolidated with eight community organizations of Venezuelans in various cities of the country, which operate the Free Orientation Windows (Ventanillas de Orientación Gratuita), in which information and orientation about the process is provided, and where information is received. documentation of those who apply to the PNV.

Statement on the Situation in Ukraine: IOM Director General António Vitorino

Geneva – We are extremely worried about the escalation of military action in Ukraine and the deteriorating humanitarian situation. 

We reiterate the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres’ call for an immediate cessation in hostilities and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. 

Eight years of conflict in Ukraine have displaced over 1.4 million people who now rely on assistance to meet their daily needs. This escalation will only deepen the humanitarian needs and compound the suffering of millions of families. 

IOM, alongside the United Nations and the humanitarian community, is committed to staying and delivering vital assistance to the people of Ukraine and stands ready to respond to the emerging humanitarian needs in the country and the region, in close coordination with governments and partners. 

We will continue to operate in a neutral and impartial manner, prioritizing the humanitarian imperative. 

Source: IOM Global website 

IOM is on the ground supporting the people from Ukraine. Join us providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukarine.

*USA for IOM is a registered 501(c)(3), all donations are 100% tax-deductible.

How does data science play an important role in supporting migration? 

The latest special issue of the Harvard Data Science Report explores the critical part data science plays in helping understand migration while also helping displaced persons by combating misinformation surrounding migration.  

This collaboration showcases the importance of data science in the more significant move to help those displaced and migrating. Members of our team participated in different articles on this issue, and we invite you to read them to explore this further: 

Our Board Director, Tolu Olubunmi, shares her immigrant story in the article When Lions Write: An American Immigrant Story. This genuinely inspiring testimony lets us fully comprehend the importance of hope as a critical factor for migrants to make a difference and create the lives they want and deserve.

Co-Editors Liberty Vittert and Rita Ko explore integrating academic and industry exploration of multiple aspects of forced displacement and world migration in the article How Can Data Science Revolutionize Humanitarian Crises?. With 82.4 million forcibly displaced people, new approaches to the global refugee crisis are vital to combat the hostile rhetoric around human mobility, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Last but not least, in the article “How can improved data and information systems be applied more universally to the growing list of life-threatening human crises we now see around the globe and those that will inevitably follow?” James N. Purcell, our board chairman, explores the role of humanitarian aid in the article The Humanitarian Journey: From Root Causes to Recovery.

Collaborations like these, in which institutions create spaces for discussion, are integral to successfully help those in greatest need and successfully build a better future for all. In this case, migration showcases the significance of human mobility both historically and now and increases awareness on how much we have to learn from people on the move in facing the challenges of the world today.  

We invite you to read the complete issue here for more information! 

IOM Launches Haiti Crisis Response Plan 2022-2024

Haiti’s geography increases exposure to disasters such as tropical storms, hurricanes, and earthquakes. These disasters generate destruction of both infrastructure and agricultural areas. In addition to Haiti’s geographic characteristics, socio-political challenges have deteriorated the nation’s security and have caused both an increase in the urban population and in the irregular migration of Haitians in the region. Because of such factors, Haiti is considered the most vulnerable country in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the 18th most vulnerable country in the world (INFORM Index 2021). 

On the morning of January 24, Haiti recorded two aftershocks of 5.6 and 5.4 increasing the death toll and number of those injured since the 7.2 magnitude Earthquake in August last year. Haiti is a nation deeply in need of international aid focused on sustainable recovery and disaster prevention.  

IOM, together with both governmental and non-governmental partners, is committed to addressing immediate and long-term disaster and mobility-related challenges in Haiti by the root causes of irregular migration, reducing forced movement and the vulnerability of affected and at-risk population, building resilience to identified risks and mainstreaming migration in development agendas and policies. 

In December 2021, IOM launched a Crisis Response Plan aiming to: 

Save lives and respond to needs through humanitarian assistance and protection 

Address the drivers and longer-term impacts of crises and displacement through investments in recovery and crisis prevention 

Strengthen preparedness and reduce disaster risk 

Contribute to an Evidence-Based and Efficient Crisis Response System 

Achieving these goals and aiding the recovery of the more than 310,000 people impacted by the most recent disasters requires around USD 87 million.  

USA for IOM plays a critical role in mobilizing resources from individuals and the private sector in the United States to support IOM’s work around the world, and by doing so, aids thousands of vulnerable people, like Haitians, affected by disasters. You can read the full response plan HERE:   

Baseball brings a community together

“As the pitcher, you set the tone,” begins the coach of Casa Llena.  

“It doesn’t matter what the score is, what the crowd is yelling, or even who’s up to bat; the only thing you can control is yourself. Each time you’re on the mound, it’s a new opportunity to set the tone you want.”  

Self-regulation is one of the many life lessons players learn on IOM’s youth baseball team.  

Along with gameplay and technique, players learn life skills, including taking things one step at a time as they round the bases, and that helping each other is essential to meeting their collective goals.  

The name ‘Casa Llena’ or ‘Full House’ carries its own significance- a baseball term for when the bases are full, and scoring is imminent, it’s a reminder of the value of opening our doors to new neighbors.   

Baseball represents an unlikely connection between arriving Venezuelan migrants and Ecuadorian locals in a predominantly soccer-loving country. But the 20 migrant and local youth brought together through this program see it as an opportunity to form community. 

Yolannys, a 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant, has become close to both her fellow players and their parents. She says that joining the team has made her feel at home in a new country.   

When asked about the program’s impact on her, she describes how coming to practices has helped her keep focused on her goals and that the friends she’s made have given her the encouragement she needed to grow her new business.   

Samuel, a local player age-10, has enjoyed making friends, having fun, and adds that he’s learned a lot about the game from his Venezuelan teammates.  

But for Ximena, 15, the team’s star hitter, she doesn’t notice any difference between her and her Venezuelan teammates on the field.