Want to Learn More about UNICEF in Venezuela?

The UNICEF Representative is Dr. Manuel Rodríguez Pumarol, a Dominican national, who joined UNICEF in 2018 and has served since 2023 as Representative in Guatemala and earlier as Head of Social Policy and Protection in UNICEF Jordan. He previously worked for the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Visit the UNICEF Venezuela's home page 

April 2025: El Sistema (Venezuela's youth orchestra system) ratified for 20th consecutive year as UNICEF National Ambassador

Humanitarian Situation (2025)

• 3.8 million children need humanitarian assistance
• 7.7 million people total in need
• Venezuela now ranks as first country globally with highest proportion of refugees per inhabitants
• Over 7.9 million Venezuelans have left the country in the last decade
• Teacher salaries average only $7.35/month; 150,000 teachers have abandoned their jobs
• Children attend school only 2-3 days per week

Funding

Gradual phase-out of activities began in July 2025, focusing humanitarian response on only 31 out of 335 Venezuelan municipalities.

UNICEF's 2025 appeal of $183 million remains 84% unfunded (as of June 2025)

Funding gap of $152.9 million is severely impacting operations

Social Protection is 97% underfunded, Education and WASH are 88% underfunded

Current Challenges (2025)

• Severe floods affected over 370,000 people in 2025
• 46% decline in school enrollment for 2024-2025 academic year compared to 2021-2022
• 98% of sixth-grade students don't achieve minimum math learning outcomes
• Acute malnutrition crisis affecting thousands of children
• Climate change increasing frequency of disasters

Programme Achievements Reported (2024)

• 8,531 health professionals trained
• 116,281 caregivers counseled on child nutrition and care
• Over 44,000 pregnant women received HIV testing
• 130 solar-powered refrigerators installed in remote areas for vaccine cold chain
• Maternal mortality decreased 18% in Miranda state
• Support for returning migrant children (like Thomas and Mathias story from June 2025)

Challenges

• Severe floods affected over 370,000 people in 2025
• 46% decline in school enrollment for 2024-2025 academic year compared to 2021-2022
• 98% of sixth-grade students don't achieve minimum math learning outcomes
• Acute malnutrition crisis affecting thousands of children
• Climate change increasing frequency of disasters

Political Context

• December 2025: UN report documented decade-long pattern of killings, torture, and sexual violence by Venezuela's National Guard