UNHCR / GRANDI COLOMBIA
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STORY: UNHCR / GRANDI COLOMBIA
TRT: 1:46
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: SPANISH / NATS
DATELINE: 08 FEBRUARY 2021, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA / RECENT
08 FEBRUARY 2021, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
1. Med shot, Colombian President Ivan Duque, right, and UN Refugee Chief Filippo Grandi, left, greeting each other
2. Med shot, Colombian President Ivan Duque speaking
3. Wide shot, Colombian President Ivan Duque, right, and UN Refugee Chief Filippo Grandi, left, making announcement
4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“I believe that today and here, what is being discussed, what you have announced, Mr. President, it is the most important humanitarian gesture that has been made in this continent since the Cartagena Declaration in 1984.”
06 FEBRUARY 2021, MAICAO, LA GUAJIRA, COLOMBIA
5. Various shots, children playing at Integrated Assistance Centre
6. Various shots, residents of at Integrated Assistance Centre chatting
08 FEBRUARY 2021, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees:
“This situation is particularly serious for women and children. The temporary protection status will make a significant difference to their lives allowing them to fully contribute to the Colombian society.”
06 FEBRUARY 2021, MAICAO, LA GUAJIRA, COLOMBIA
8. Wide shot, people using Paraguachón crossing point
9. Wide shot, people crossing through one of the irregular crossing points
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi praised an announcement by Colombian President Ivan Duque of an initiative to provide ten-year temporary protection status to Venezuelans in the country as the “most important humanitarian gesture that has been made in this continent since the Cartagena Declaration in 1984.”
Speaking at the announcement in Bogota on Monday (08 Feb), Grandi said the decision provides an example to the entire world of how to balance respect for international obligations with pragmatism and humanity.
Colombia is host to 1.7 million Venezuelans, more than 37 per cent of the 4.6 million refugees and migrants from Venezuelan in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than half of Colombia’s Venezuelan population lack regular status, affecting their ability to access essential services, protection and assistance.
Ensuring access to basic rights, Temporary Protection Status will also enable Venezuelans in the country to access the national health system and COVID-19 vaccination plans.
Grandi said women and children are facing a particularly serious situation. He said, “The temporary protection status will make a significant difference to their lives allowing them to fully contribute to the Colombian society.”
Regularization also holds the key to long-term solutions, including access to the job market, which in turn serves to lessen the dependency of people on humanitarian assistance while also contributing to the country’s post COVID-19 socio-economic recovery.