Project profile — Supporting the Socio-Economic Integration of Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in the Americas

This project aims to enhance the integration of Venezuelan refugees, migrants and returnees, with a particular focus on women and children, into the societies and economies of their host communities in the Latin America and Caribbean region through the Inter-American Development Bank’s multi-donor Migration Grant Facility and Better Together Challenge initiatives. Project activities under the Migration Grant Facility include: (1) providing concessional financing to governments to support their response to the refugee and migrant situation; (2) providing technical assistance to governments and/or service providers to improve migration-related policies and processes, including awareness-raising campaigns, capacity building and/or training; and (3) completing research studies on migration-related issues to improve evidence-based policies and processes. Project activities within the Better Together Challenge include: (1) supporting ventures that provide innovative solutions by and for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, including to access to financial services, capital and/or local networks; (2) training, including open online courses and job orientation sessions to Venezuelan refugees and migrants on economic advancement opportunities; and (3) establishing awareness-raising campaigns targeting the private sector to promote inclusive and positive narratives around migration, promote job creation and encourage inclusion between migrants and local workers.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) Migration Grant Facility: enhanced protection and access to services such as water, hygiene and sanitation, health services (including sexual and reproductive health and rights and education) and/or economic opportunities for Venezuelan refugees, migrants and host community members which meet the specific needs of women, girls, boys, and those experiencing marginalization and/or vulnerability, in targeted host countries; and (2) Better Together Challenge: increased access to economic opportunities, including financial services and capital, for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, which meet the specific needs of women, girls, boys and those experiencing marginalization and/or vulnerability in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Results achieved as of April 2025 include: (1) supported 15,478 refugee and migrant women with increased access to sexual and reproductive health services and protection support; (2) provided 18,726 refugees and migrants (26% women) with access to new economic opportunities in their host countries; (3) supported 91 crafts-women who are migrants from Warao indigenous communities in accessing bank accounts and financial services in their host communities; (4) connected 584 migrant entrepreneurs with financial platforms and sales channels to grow their businesses; and (5) provided technical assistance to Government ministries on improving labor market integration for migrants, including policies and programs to allow skill and credential recognition.