nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
“The challenges that are attendant in restoring power on Abaco relate to the complete destruction of the infrastructure in Marsh Harbour, which utilised most of the power load from Wilson City.
Hurricane Dorian severely damages homes and infrastructure and causes extensive flooding in Abaco and Grand Bahama
NEW PROVIDENCE 6 895 Shelters Persons
SHELTERED PERSONS NEW PROVIDENCE 6 895
We are concerned about the deportation of 112 Haitian migrants from The Bahamas to Haiti last Thursday, including people from the Abaco Islands, which were badly hit by the destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in September this year. We call on the Government to refrain from deporting individuals who lack documentation, without the individual assessments and due process guarantees to which they are entitled under international law.
To this end, humanitarian responders should collect sex and age disaggregated data about the affected population, particularly pertaining to GBV risk, and asking different groups what measures would be most appropriate to mitigate it for them.
Over the past 30 years the Bahamas had on average 5.5 tourist arrivals per capita, while the rest of the Caribbean had an average of 0.6 tourist arrivals per capita over the same period.
People with disabilities The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities estimates between 35,000 and 45,000 people in the Bahamas live with a disability  ( 9%   12% of the population ) .
Dignity kits should be provided to women and girls in shelters, ensuring they are consulted on their preferred MHM materials. Consideration should be given to the safe disposal of MHM materials given the compromised sewerage system.
Employment rose by 4,330 in May when compared to November 2018 and reached about 215,000 persons. On a year over year basis, employment grew by 6,635 or 3.2%. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate dropped to 9.5%, down from 10.7% in November.
Across the Bahamas, the hurricane caused about $7 billion in property damage.
“BPL currently has a 17 man team in the North working to restore the infrastructure, from Cooper's Town to Crown Haven, ahead of re powering.
The country has a marine tropical climate dominated by Atlantic Southeast Trade Winds in the summer and cool and dry North American high pressure systems in winter.
Hurricane Dorian, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history, struck the Bahamas nearly two months ago, causing more than 60 deaths, inflicting at least $7 billion in damage, and devastating the island's health infrastructure.
The Bahamas Red Cross is distributing USAID funded hygiene kits, portable stoves, towels, sheets, and blankets to affected communities. Additional distributions will be taking place in coming days.
Tropical storms and hurricanes have a great influence on precipitation, even when their tracts of passage are several hundred kilometers away from the Bahamas. The hurricane season officially extends from June to November.
Humanitarian actors should analyse the potential protection risks that exist among such a vulnerable community which could include risk of exploitation and reluctance to seek humanitarian assistance.
The Southeast Trade Winds dominate the weather for much of the year, providing a cooling effect. Maximum temperatures in the Bahamas range from 25ºC to 30ºC and minimum temperatures range from 17ºC to 24ºC from north to south  ( USACE, 2004 ) .
Agriculture does not have a significant impact on New Providence, where water demand for irrigation negligible. However, Grand Bahama and many of the Family islands do support agricultural and irrigation development.
All schools in Abaco were closed as of 8 September as most school aged children have been evacuated. There are no official reports as yet of separated or unaccompanied children.
In 2012, 98 percent of the total population had access to improved water sources  ( both urban and rural )  and 92 percent of the total population had access to improved sanitation  ( also both urban and rural ) .
The Ministry of Education is offering registration to all displaced Abaco and Grand Bahama students to attend schools on Nassau or unaffected family islands with access to referrals for counselling.
While emphasis is on immediate relief and humanitarian assistance to the affected populations, the use of market based responses in the recovery phase will be important and should be done with an intention of women's empowerment.
Civil society: There are a number of organisations working on equality issues or GBV response such as Equality Bahamas and the Bahamas Crisis Centre.
Disasters and traumatic events often have an impact on the emotional well being of the affected population. Psychosocial support is therefore urgently needed to support people suffering from trauma and depression in the aftermath of Dorian.
According to the UN's Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, persisting gender stereotypes, patriarchy and sex based discrimination exist to a worrying extent in The Bahamas. This lies at the root of violence against women, an effect of power dynamics and discrimination leading to a situation in which, “violence against women is hidden, denied and, even more worryingly, accepted as normal.'
Although the results show a positive interaction between the dummy variables and tourism, the results are not statistically significant.20 This would suggest that the tremendous contribution from tourism to growth in the Caribbean over the past 3 decades  ( Figure 4 )  is due to the relatively larger inflow of tourist per capita it receives compared to the rest of the world. Hence, the Caribbean countries would have to continue striving to attract large number of tourists if they want to keep tourism as an important engine of growth.
First, the slowdown in growth is explained more by a decline in productivity rather than a lack of investment. Second, tourism has been a significant contributor to higher growth  ( through both capital accumulation and productivity )  and lower output volatility, and in many countries there is scope for further expansion of this sector. Third, the small size and the fact that most of these countries are islands have limited growth.
The economy stalled in 2001–02, reflecting the downturn in the USA and consequent fall in tourism. Good growth and modest inflation resumed from 2003, until the world economic downturn caused a sharp fall in tourism and offshore financial services and the economy moved sharply into recession, shrinking by more than four per cent in 2009, then recovering from 2010. There was growth of 1.0 per cent in 2012 and 0.7 per cent in 2013, continuing at over one per cent p.a. in 2014–15.
From the early 1990s, facing severe recession, the government introduced an economic reform programme which emphasised fiscal responsibility, privatisation of government owned hotels, investment promotion, infrastructure development and diversification of the economy. From the mid 1990s, as the USA came out of recession, this resulted in a long period of good growth with modest inflation.
The Bahamas is among the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean region. With independence in 1973, the country freed itself from the UK's exchange control legislation and set up an offshore banking and investment industry; it is now a significant financial centre and ship registry, among the largest in the world in terms of gross tonnage registered.
Only about 30 of the islands are inhabited. New Providence Island accounts for 70 percent of the total population, mostly concentrated in the capital Nassau, follow by Grand Bahama Island which accounts for 15 percent of the total population, mostly located in Freeport. The Family Islands account for the remaining 15 percent  ( USACE, 2004 ) .
The primary source of drinking water is fresh groundwater. Desalination is increasing in usage, and will most likely continue to increase, as fresh groundwater availability continues to decline, and water demands grow. Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros islands have enough fresh groundwater reserves to meet their demands, but for New Providence and many other islands, particularly the central and southernmost islands, desalination will be key in the future. Rainwater catchment is rarely used, supplying possibly 3 percent or less of the water.
Women, men, boys and girls can experience GBV, however women and girls, as well as men and boys who do not conform to societies expectations, are disproportionately affected.
Officials are reportedly considering the establishment of “tent or container cities'. 32 The location and construction of these should be carried out in consultation with communities and constructed according to minimum Shelter and WASH standards to ensure they are appropriate and safe for different sexes, ages and levels of mobility.
The country is politically divided into 31 districts. It can also be divided into three geographical areas:  ( i )  New Providence Island, where the capital Nassau is located;  ( ii )  Grand Bahama, where the second most populated town Freeport is located;  ( iii )  Family Islands, which is the name given to all of the other islands and cays  ( USACE, 2004 ) .
A large number of actors are arriving or are already operational in the Bahamas. Measures should be put in place immediately to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse, including clear and harmonized reporting protocols and communication pathways disseminated among the population in need and registration with the Government and Cluster System of all operational organisations and groups.
According to the UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women, gender based violence is “hidden, denied and… accepted as normal' in the Bahamas. Marital rape is noted as particularly pressing as it is not outlawed within the Bahamian legal framework other than in narrowly defined circumstances.
GBV risk mitigation strategies should be strengthened in the Nassau shelters, including the establishment and communication to all humanitarian actors of the referral pathway and shared standard operating procedures  ( SOPs ) . Humanitarian actors should host awareness raising sessions and provide information to the affected population, particularly women and girls and other at risks groups.
Economic differences between islands exist with those in the Family Island region more likely to be poor  ( 17.2% )  than people living in New Providence  ( 12.4% )  or Grand Bahama  ( 9.4% ) . The Family Islands have higher percentages of non  nationals, fewer young people, and fewer with college educations.
Young women between 16 and 18 were deemed the most vulnerable group and a recommendation made that access to contraception without parental consent should be allowed at 16, the age of sexual consent, rather than 18, with the potential to reduce HIV cases in addition to unwanted pregnancies. This is problematic for agencies wishing to provide confidential, post exposure care for survivors of sexual violence who are under 18.
Evacuees are being registered on the island of New Providence  ( Nassau )  where some 1,650 people are being housed in Government run shelters10 such as churches and community centres.11 These are at full capacity and as more evacuees arrive, families have reportedly been turned away due to lack of space.
Two of the three most populated islands that were surveyed experienced decreases in their unemployment rates, and one experienced an increase. At the time of the survey, the rate in New Providence was 9.4%; and in Grand Bahama 10.9%. On the other hand, Abaco's unemployment rate increased from 7.7% May to 9.3%.
According to Works Minister Desmond Bannister Thursday, there was substantive damage to BPL's infrastructure in the wake of Dorian, including the loss of 3,000 utility poles.
Yes, we've had a devastating storm and yes, there's massive destruction, but in order for us to be able to help ourselves, business has to go on and there are 14 other major islands and hundreds of other cays that are looking forward to welcoming persons, so that the ability to respond to Dorian is significantly a self sufficient exercise.
BAHAMAS Power and Light has spent just over $1.6m on equipment and materials as teams work to fully restore electricity in Abaco and its cays following Hurricane Dorian.
Haitian migrants have often found themselves in positions of vulnerability in The Bahamas, as documented by UN human rights mechanisms. Many of them lived in informal settlements that were destroyed by the hurricane, losing their documents, jobs and belongings.
Paradise comes at a social, economic and moral cost. The Bahamas has the second highest economic and social inequality in the Caribbean, according to the Latin American Economic Outlook 2019 Report. An editorial in the Nassau Guardian newspaper in 2017 warned: “Economic inequality is killingthe Bahamas.' As Hurricane Dorian approached, affluent people were able to get out early whereas the poor had to remain and try to ride it out.
Haitians have lived in the Bahamas for centuries but face poverty and prejudice, for reasons including religious beliefs that can include voodoo. A 2008 article in the College of the Bahamas Research Journal, entitledthe Stigma of Being ‘Haitian' inthe Bahamas, noted that “Bahamians have long ‘looked down' on Haitians as not being social equals'.
However, the chargé said he had no idea just how many people from various Abaco shanty towns were still alive or dead in the aftermath of the storm as the government had not yet communicated its findings regarding those communities.
Haitians are the largest minority group in this nation of 400,000 people. By some estimates, they make up as much as one fifth of the population. The country has long relied on their labor   and debated whether and how to grant them citizenship.
Many remain undocumented and vulnerable: Dorian flattened shantytowns such as the Mudd and the Peas on Great Abaco Island, killing dozens and leaving thousands homeless.
But Haitians and their advocates say they have suffered a history of discrimination here and fear they will be targeted for more abuse once the aid groups and news cameras leave. They and the Haitian government are asking for more protection.
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS RESPONSE Working with the Grand Bahama Public Health Authority  ( PHA ) , International Medical Corps is expanding and reconfiguring its response to meet the island's medical and healthcare needs. Our teams of doctors and nurses continue to see patients at the emergency primary healthcare clinic we have set up at High Rock, while mobile medical teams working from High Rock continue to conduct visits to more isolated communities, such as Pelican Point and McCleans Town, where all pre existing healthcare capacity has been destroyed.
In Freeport, the island's main city, we are continuing to support a maternity clinic serving public healthcare patients temporarily housed at the privately owned Sunrise Medical Center. Some of our medical volunteers have provided labor, delivery and postpartum care to patients, while one volunteer nurse has assisted the local nurses and doctors at the Special Care Unit, where premature babies need regular feedings and antibiotics.
And, as recovery continues, we focusing on long term recovery by training local service providers and community health workers and volunteers to undertake standard health education and surveillance of disease outbreaks. A new technical advisor for water, sanitation and hygiene  ( WASH )  arrived on Thursday. He visited the High Rock Clinic and worked on setting up handwashing facilities in the areas where our health workers are conducting patient treatments. Water quality monitoring will be conducted in upcoming weeks and will include two tests: a microbiological test for water samples from all water sources and water tankers that International Medical Corps uses, conducted on a monthly basis; and a free residual chlorine test, which will be conducted on a daily basis by the WASH monitors. In other areas, water testing will be increased where perceived threats of outbreaks exist.
Caribbean countries have experienced low growth since the 1980s, with the current global slowdown derailing the feeble recovery of the early 2000s.1 The region has been buffeted by a series of adverse exogenous shocks over time, including the erosion of trade preferences; the decline in official foreign assistance; frequent natural disasters; and recessions in source countries that drive tourism and FDI in the region.
The recent global slowdown has exacerbated the already declining trend in growth. As a result, average growth has dropped from 3.0 percent in the 1970s to 2.7 percent in the 2000s,2 although there is significant heterogeneity in growth performance across these countries
When referring to the island nature of small countries we consider the effects of higher transportation costs for basic inputs and exports, the increased difficulty in access to bigger markets, the concentration of economic activity in a small number of sectors that increases the vulnerability to external shocks, and the reduced market size of the economy, whose negative effect is compounded by the physical disconnect from other markets.
In 2003, about 65 percent of the groundwater samples showed signs of microbiological contamination. Freshwater reserves are also affected by other types and sources of contamination. The nature of the geology and a deficient sewage collection and treatment system are contributing to groundwater contamination.
It is important to note that size by itself does not appear to have an impact on volatility; however, being a small island does imply a higher level of output volatility for those economies. It is possible that the continuous exposure to external shocks, such as vulnerability to international food and fuel prices, and natural disasters  ( i.e., hurricanes, floods, etc. )  is what generates volatility in the small island economies.
Though agricultural and forestry production and commercial fishing expanded from the 1990s, and the country is an exporter of fruit and vegetables as well as seafood, it nevertheless imports most of its foodstuffs and consumer goods, and is strongly influenced by the economic climate in the USA, not least because the majority of its tourist visitors are from that country.
As a summary, the main scenarios for water supply in the Bahamas are: groundwater provided via water authority on a large scale, private water wells, groundwater barged from one island to another, fresh groundwater blended with brackish groundwater, groundwater piped from one island to another by underwater lines, desalination  ( usually Reverse Osmosis ) , water trucking from one part of the island to another, bottled water for drinking and cooking. Water losses are large in Bahamas. For New Providence, water loss is estimated at 53 percent  ( USACE, 2004 ) .
Women in Bahamas used to work only in subsistence agriculture that provided a small income for the family. In the last years, these women are entering the field at a number of different activities.
Many of the younger women are highly educated and a lot of women are in research and development. They take on a range of roles from farmer, marketing manager to the complete business woman.
In addition to the WSC, there are three other major water utility entities operating: Paradise Utility  ( PU ) , Grand Bahama Utility Company  ( GBUC )  and New Providence Development Company  ( NPDC ) . PU is the sole provider of water for Paradise Island and provides sewerage services as well. GBUC is the sole provider of water in Grand Bahama. NPDC supplies water on demand for WSC and operates a distribution system at the south western end of New Providence. The private services are not approved and monitored by the WSC  ( USACE, 2004 ) .
One of the biggest concerns related to water resources management is the financial cost associated with producing water and the affordability of water by consumers  ( GWP, 2011 ) . It is expected that better service and access due to new management plans will bring a reduction in water losses and improvement of meter reading and water fee collection.
The demand of water for industry, agriculture, and population are estimated to increase in the following years. The water resources of the Bahamas are in a dangerous position, threatened by over abstraction, misuse and pollution. The need to improve the management of water resources has become more and more urgent as issues become more complex  ( GWP, 2011 ) .
Evidence from a range of crises demonstrates that SRH needs increase but barriers to accessing services are further exacerbated. As noted, GBV often increases in the aftermath of a crisis, increasing the need for access to clinical management of rape for survivors. A lack of privacy to ensure patient confidentiality is a barrier for patients to access SRH information and services in general and particularly compromises survivor centred approaches for GBV and other stigmatized SRH services such as family planning.
Further analysis is required to understand where people who cannot access shelter are sleeping as this poses a serious protection risk, particularly to vulnerable groups.
Rape, trafficking, exploitation and other forms of violence against women tend to increase in times of natural disasters meaning that responders need to be aware of risks, avoid doing harm, and put in protective measures within their interventions.
Shelters are providing basic healthcare but are not able to provide life saving sexual and reproductive health services service in line with the Minimum Initial Service Package  ( MISP )  including clinical management of rape, access to contraceptive options for prevention of unwanted pregnancies and safe abortion care to the full extent of the law, treatment and referrals for STIs including HIV and emergency obstetric and newborn care for complications in pregnancy. This situation disproportionately affects women, adolescent girls and other vulnerable groups including LGBTQIA communities, HIV positive individuals, undocumented immigrants and those with intersectional vulnerabilities.
Nationally, according to UNFPA, there are an estimated 19,071 women of reproductive age in the Bahamas and an estimated 807 currently pregnant women with around 90 live births expected in the next month. There are approximately 5,339 adolescent girls.8 It is important to note that individual islands and locations within the affected areas of The Bahamas may have a different demographic profile from the national average. Moreover, specific populations like migrants and undocumented groups are likely to be significantly different in terms of age and gender.
Humanitarian and recovery responders should map other community organisations and coordinate with them to be informed about the needs and capacities of different groups, particularly those who can be marginalised including women and girls, members of the LGBTQIA communities, people with disabilities, older people, religious minorities and migrant communities.
According to the Bahamian Crisis Centre, human trafficking in the Bahamas applies mainly, but not exclusively, to persons brought or coming in from Jamaica and Haiti. People who have received promises of work to support families at home are forced into prostitution or hard labour in order to survive. 44 Women and adolescent girls who are alone or with their children are at greatest risk.
Media reports indicate a level of xenophobia may exist towards this population and unfounded rumours of looting by members of this population on Abaco had been spread via social media sites with discriminatory comments. Journalists and activists have reported fear among Haitians living in the Bahamas, some of whom have arrived illegally, that they will be deported. Others who have Bahamian nationality, but who have lost official documents in the storm, also fear deportation. Concerns have been raised by expatriate communities related to requests to present documentation as part of the intake process in shelters.
Of the approximately 6,000 people over 15 living with HIV  ( 2,600 women; 3300 men ) , UNAIDS estimates 3,107 were affected by Dorian as the storm has limited access to regular treatment and access to antiretroviral therapy  ( ART )  and other complementary services.
Emergency shelters have been set up in gyms, churches and community shelters and were at full capacity as of 8 September.31 Media outlets have reported that there are insufficient shelters to accommodate all affected people. Families, including those with young children are being turned away, raising protection concerns.
People living outside the main Bahamian island of New Providence are poorer and can access fewer employment opportunities. Almost 73% of the population resided in New Providence, 14.4% in Grand Bahama and 13.0% in the Family Islands which include the Abaco Islands.
The rights of marginalised groups including immigrants and members of the LGBTQIA communities can also be compromised due to discrimination  ( discussed below ) .
Men are more likely to finish high school than women  ( 57% of men vs 51% of women ) , but men are less likely than women to finish college  ( 9.8% of men vs 14.4% of women ) . Women are more likely than men to have participated in higher education  ( 17.6% of men compared to 25.9% of women ) .
Agencies responding to Dorian should be conscious of issues related to the specific needs and capacities of different groups and put in measures to overcome obstacles and discrimination they may face.
Of 18 health clinics in Grand Bahama and Abaco, three are fully operational. Five are unoperational, three have limited capacity and the status is unknown of seven. One hospital in Grand Bahama and one in Abaco are functional with limited capacity.27 As health professionals local to the Bahamas have also been affected, medical staff capacity is also reduced.
Hurricane Dorian, which battered The Bahamas from 1 3 September 2019, directly impacted an estimated 78,2851 people among the population of almost 400,0002 who live on the Bahama islands. Thousands have lost their homes and, having been evacuated, are sleeping in communal accommodation centres unsure about the future.
There are reports of historical discrimination against Haitians, many of whom suffer from poverty, limited education and who may be subject to abuse including related to religious practices. Haitian people living on Family Islands are more likely to be living in poverty than those with Bahamian nationality. The incidence of poverty is three times higher than the national rate for households headed by a Haitian migrant  ( 27.9% ) 41 . Among Haitians, 38.6% were classified as ‘poor' in contrast to 10.7% of Bahamians.42 The majority of immigrants are women  ( 59.9% on the family islands )  which should be considered to ensure appropriate assistance.
Natural disasters increase risk of gender based violence and humanitarians must work to mitigate and prevent it. Recovery programming offers the opportunity to tackle the root causes of GBV which include discrimination and unequal power dynamics.
Entre las causas de desalojos forzados que las personas identificaron, están las dificultades en el pago de los alquileres, unido a la discriminación que sufren por su nacionalidad y su situación migratoria. Las mujeres entrevistadas desalojadas o en riesgo desalojadas reportaron señalamientos vinculados a su nacionalidad en contextos de acoso y violencia sexual ejercida por los arrendadors como medida para evitar el desalojo
Para las trabajadoras sexuales o aquellas en situación de prosti   tución, la discriminación y la xenofobia, que ya existían, se agudizaron durante la pandemia. En su caso, la discriminación que sufren se en   cuentra vinculada a la nacionalidad, su situación migratoria, su iden   tidad de género y/o en algunos casos al oficio o actividad que desem   peñan. El agravamiento de sus niveles de vulnerabilidad, tanto durante el ejercicio de su oficio, como en la atención por parte de instituciones estatales ha afectado el acceso a la salud, a la justicia y a la información, y en algunos casos, en la garantía de acceso a la protección internacio   nal y procesos de regularización de su situación migratoria
A pesar de esto, un importante número de las per   sonas desalojadas o en riesgo de desalojos, en situa   ción de prostitución o trabajadoras sexuales, y per   tenecientes a pueblos indígenas participantes en el diagnóstico, afirmó no conocer las rutas de acceso, ni saber a cuáles instituciones acudir, ni conocer los costos, ni los requisitos que deben cumplir durante los procesos de regularización migratoria
A la ausencia de información sobre el acceso a la protección internacional se suma la falta de claridad sobre el alcance que el reconocimiento de la condición de refugiado tiene en materia de derechos, así como en el acceso a los servicios y programas de los Estados.
[ Mujeres que ejercen la prostitución ] En algunos de estos caos las mujeres reportaron situaciones de abuso sexual, emocional y psicológico que vinculaba, no solamente a sus clientes sino a miembros de las fuerzas policiales quienes, bajo el monitoreo del cumplimiento de los toques de queda impuestos en algunos países las detenían y abusaban sexualmente de ellas.53 Al indagar sobre estos casos las mujeres trabajadoras sexuales expresaron que, cuando intentaron presentar denuncias fueron amenazadas e intimidadas sin lograr acceder a los procedimientos judiciales o de reporte de casos de abuso sexual
Esta situación ha tenido un mayor impacto en gru   pos específicos, como personas con enfermedades crónicas, personas adultas mayores, mujeres ma   dres solteras y niños, niñas y adolescentes, algunos hijos e hijas de mujeres trabajadoras sexuales quie   nes, afirmaron tener la percepción de que durante la pandemia fueron “vistas como foco de infección no como portadoras de derechos
Por el otro, el desalojo forzado ha obligado a las familias venezolanas a moverse a otras zonas de las ciuda   des en donde los costos de alquiler son menores, pero los niveles de seguridad son precarios. Esta situación ha tenido un impacto directo sobre la seguridad que ellas sienten en relación con sus hijas e hijos.
En búsqueda de alternativas para poder ayudar a sus familias con el pago de alquileres y evitar ser desalojados, personas jóvenes se han involucrado en el microtráfico de drogas y algunas adolescentes mujeres y hombres han recurrido al sexo transaccional en sus barrios, ciudades y a través de sitios web, así como al ejercicio de la prostitución
Para las mujeres, particularmente las mujeres cabeza de familia, el acceso a una vivienda digna reviste dificultades adicionales: por un lado, no les alquilan cuando sus hijos e hijas son pequeños, aduciendo problemas de ruidos y molestias en general; por otro lado, existe la percepción que ser “mujeres solas' les impide cumplir con el pago y que se necesita de la figura masculina proveedora, para poder asumir el compromiso, es decir el arrendador “no las ve como lo suficientemente fuertes o responsables para responder por el alquiler'98, por eso necesitan de un hombre las proteja, ofreciéndoles en ocasiones su ayuda, apoyo o acosándolas sexualmente con el objetivo de “garantizar' su vivienda
[ Relación con la institucionalidad ]  La segunda, la des   confianza generalizada en las instituciones estatales tanto a nivel nacional como local, vinculada con los elementos de xenofobia, discriminación y bajos ni   veles de sensibilidad frente a las necesidades espe   cíficas de estos grupos y la realidad de las personas refugiadas y migrantes de Venezuela
Por otro lado, se identificó la constante de decidir no
acudir a las fuerzas policiales por la xenofobia que
perciben existe al ser atendidos, siendo personas
venezolanas
Durante la pandemia, la relación de las personas refugiadas y migrantes de Venezuela con las instituciones de justicia ha estado marcada por tres variables: el desconocimiento sobre la rutas de acceso a la justicia; el desconocimiento de los funcionarios y funcionarias sobre los derechos de las personas refugiadas y migrantes y del rol que deben cumplir; y la baja disponibilidad de servicios y asistencia legal para los grupos de población objeto de este diagnóstico y de las afectaciones particulares que han sufrido durante la pandemia.
Las personas beneficiarias identifican que la virtua   lidad ha afectado, de dos formas diferenciadas, la atención durante la pandemia: por un lado, los tiem   pos de espera en la recepción de los casos y el tipo de trato que reciben por parte de las organizacio   nes; por el otro, el no conocer o entender las prio   ridades en la atención y en las ayudas que pueden recibir de parte de las organizaciones149. Esto está relacionado con la falta de contacto personal y visual entre las organizaciones y las personas beneficiarias y a que los procesos de seguimiento y acompaña   miento se perciben más complejos y lejanos
El diagnóstico indica un aumento o agudización de los casos de discriminación, racismo o xenofobia tanto, en la respuesta de las instituciones estatales como en el comportamiento de la población en las comunidades de acogida. Dentro de las situaciones reportadas se encuentran, entre otras: la negación al acceso a la salud, incluso de personas afectadas por la COVID y sus hijos e hijas menores de edad, obstáculos en el acceso a la información y a la justicia; durante los procesos de desalojos forzados y en controles migratorios y las barreras en el idioma en países no hispano hablantes.
Una constante identificada en el transcurso del diagnóstico fue la precariedad en el acceso a una vivienda adecuada, por parte de las personas refugiadas y migrantes de Venezuela de los tres grupos de población en los que se enfoca este diagnóstico. También, fue posible identificar que la problemática de los desalojos forzados, sus causas y consecuencias durante la pandemia han afectado de manera particular a las trabajadoras sexuales y aquellas que se dedican a la prostitución, así como a la población indígena.
La violencia en contra de las mujeres ha sido otro de los impactos transversales evidenciados durante la investigación. Las mujeres desalojadas o en riesgo de desalojo y las trabajadoras sexuales participantes en el diagnóstico identificaron un aumento en la violencia en su contra. Esta violencia se evidencia en casos de violencia intrafamiliar, en casos de acoso y abuso sexual en la calle por parte de pobladores de las ciudades de acogida, la violencia que sufren durante los desalojos forzados, y la violencia por parte de fuerzas policiales. Las mujeres identifican que esta violencia está basada en la xenofobia y en el hecho de ser mujeres venezolanas en donde los estereotipos de género y la sexualización por su cuerpo, juegan un papel determinante.
En los casos de desalojos forzados, persiste la percepción de discriminación y xenofobia por parte de las instituciones policiales. Por un lado, el uso de desproporcionado de la fuerza por parte de la fuerza pública durante los desalojos y por el otro la ausencia de un rol en la mediación y la prevención de los mismos; durante los cuales las fuerzas policiales privilegiaron a las personas nacionales sobre las personas refugiadas y migrantes, pese a existir marcos legales que regulan los desalojos durante la pandemia y los confinamientos
La primera barrera en el acceso a la justicia, de acuerdo con lo expresado en los grupos focales, es el rechazo para recibir la denuncia sobre la base de la situación migratoria del denunciante
La ausencia de ingresos y la presión vinculada a esta situación, profundizó el abuso y violencia sexual en contra de las mujeres, en especial las madres solteras y personas de la comunidad LGBTIQ+. Las personas participantes del diagnóstico manifestaron percibir un aumento en las situaciones de sexo transaccional, sexo por supervivencia, y solicitudes de favores sexuales a cambio de acceso al trabajo y/o a una remuneración económica
Los “altos costos de los alquileres', que son cobrados a las personas venezolanas, han obligado a las familias numerosas a habitar en un mismo cuarto o en casas sin condiciones adecuadas: techos de lámina, pisos de tierra, terrenos sin instalaciones sanitarias adecuadas, sin acceso a agua potable y en algunos casos, sin ventilación ni acceso a luz solar, haciendo las viviendas poco seguras y habitables
[ Relación con la institucionalidad ]  En la relación de las personas refugiadas y migran   tes con la institucionalidad durante la pandemia y las medidas de confinamiento se pudieron estable   cer dos dinámicas. La primera, la existencia de una brecha en el acceso a la información sobre las rutas de atención de las instituciones prestadoras de ser   vicios. Las personas refugiadas y migrantes venezo   lanas no identifican, en general, a qué instituciones ir, qué pasos seguir, a dónde llamar o cómo buscar las instituciones y/o ayudas durante la duración del confinamiento y el cierre de la atención presencial por parte de las organizaciones.
Las personas que lograron identificar las rutas de regularización se encontraron, durante la pande   mia, con dificultades como los cierres de las ofici   nas responsables de realizar estos trámites30 o la virtualidad en la atención, lo cual ha prolongado los tiempos de procesamiento, incidiendo en el cambio de prioridades de la población frente a sus necesi   dades inmediatas
La falta de acceso al trabajo también tuvo un impacto en el aumento de la violencia intrafamiliar. Las personas participantes, compartieron cómo desde sus experiencias la falta de un ingreso básico, el hacinamiento, el encierro, el cierre de escuelas, entre otras causas, ha aumentado la tensión al interior de las familias, generando una mayor incidencia en los casos de violencia intrafamilia
durante el desarrollo de los grupos focales también se identificó que la ausencia de oportunidad laborales y de ingresos económicos llevó a las personas a ejercer la prostitución por primera vez durante la pandemia52, esta situación se registró tanto en mujeres como en hombres y de manera particular a través de servicios de sex webcam
Durante el levantamiento de la información, se iden   tificaron casos de personas que padecen enferme   dades como cáncer y fibromialgia, que durante la pandemia vieron agravados sus diagnósticos por falta de acceso a tratamientos médicos y la ausencia de recursos económicos56. También, se identificó, el caso de una niña con diversidad funcional para quien es necesario un tratamiento médico especializado, al cual no tuvo acceso durante las medidas de con   finamiento
[ Violencia contra las mujeres ]  Esta situación afecta no solo a las mujeres adultas, sino de manera particular a las madres solteras y a sus hijas, niñas y adolescentes. En este sentido, pudo identificarse una afectación específica sobre las madres solteras, para las cuales existe una carga más pesada de discriminación, violencia, de acceso al trabajo digno y a servicios por parte de las instituciones.
Durante la pandemia y las medidas de confinamien   to, también, se observaron múltiples casos de afec   tación a la salud mental de las personas refugia   das y migrantes de Venezuela que participaron en el diagnóstico. La angustia y la incertidumbre cau   sadas por su situación de movilidad humana, se han traducido en problemas de depresión, ataques de ansiedad o pánico, así como estrés postraumáti   co como consecuencia del encierro y la preocupa   ción por su situación de salud y económica60 sin que se cuente con el apoyo necesario para manejar es   tas afectaciones,61 a las que se suman los hechos no atendidos de abuso y violencia sexual e intrafami   liar
La mayoría de las personas carece de viviendas seguras y adecuadas, ya sea en los asentamientos formales o informales, o en los albergues en los que se refugian de manera colectiva. Requisitos como la habitabilidad, el distanciamiento físico, el lavado permanente de manos, resultan difíciles de realizar.
Esta situación de precariedad en el acceso a la vivienda se agudizó durante la pandemia, siendo la dificultad en el pago de los alquileres y las condiciones de hacinamiento dos de las principales causas de desalojo forzado identificadas durante el diagnóstico
A este contexto, se ha sumado la violencia que han vivido durante los desalojos forzados o en las tensiones familiares por el riesgo de ser desalojados. Como consecuencia de los desalojos, niños, niñas y adolescentes se han visto obligados a cambiar sus entornos sociales y a moverse varias veces durante el confinamiento
En la respuesta de las fuerzas policiales en la región sobre las medidas implementadas en el marco de la pandemia fue posible establecer algunas diferencias según el país y el grupo de población; sin embargo, se evidenciaron elementos transversales como detenciones mediadas por sobornos  solicitud de dinero a cambio de la libertad, por amenazas de deportación con implicaciones en la separación familiar y por abusos sexuales, especialmente en el caso de las mujeres trabajadoras sexuales
Algunas de las organizaciones proveedoras de servicios no estaban preparadas para la transición hacia la virtualidad o la atención vía telefónica. Esta situación se evidenció en dos planos: por un lado, el reto tecnológico organizacional que enfrentaron en cuanto a la necesidad de preparar a los equipos de trabajar de manera remota y por el otro, el acceso a la conectividad en las casas de las y los funcionarios de las organizaciones. Atender a la población refugiada y migrante de manera no presencial, utilizando herramientas virtuales, ha significado un reto en términos tecnológicos para algunas organizaciones, dado que no todas contaban con los equipos, las plataformas y los soportes técnicos necesarios para desarrollar un trabajo coordinado de manera virtual y a la distancia
In Curaçao, a boat was intercepted by the Coast Guard on the night of 9 September, with 43 Venezuelans on board, who were detained  ( including one child ) .
Indeed, the Curaçao government has openly engaged in what it has termed an “active removal strategy' by detaining and deporting Venezuelans back to Venezuela. As noted by the United Nations Committee against Torture, the authorities in Curaçao forcibly returned more than 1,000 Venezuelans in 2017, some of whom expressed a fear of being subjected to torture and other illtreatment upon return.
Until now, Curaçao and the Netherlands have done little to respond to the precarious situation of Venezuelans on the island itself. In October 2018 and again in January 2019, the government of Curaçao formally requested assistance from the government of the Netherlands to respond to the arrival of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. In February 2019, the Netherlands agreed to provide short term technical assistance to help Curaçao address this situation.
Despite the longstanding relationship between Curaçao and Venezuela, Refugees International heard many reports of discrimination and xenophobia directed toward Venezuelans living in Curaçao. Several of the Venezuelans the team interviewed described verbal abuse in the streets and bullying of children in school, and women recounted instances of harassment.
The irregular status of Venezuelan women in Curaçao can put them at risk of abuse or exploitation without access to remedies. The Refugees International team interviewed women who had been abused by partners or ex partners with legal status; they said they felt powerless given their fear of deportation to Venezuela.
People who were detained and removed after July 2017 were denied the opportunity to apply for international protection due to the state failing to establish a functioning asylum procedure. Simultaneously, the government of Curaçao designed an ‘active removal strategy' in response to the growing numbers of Venezuelans arriving and staying in Curaçao illegally. In 2017, the authorities removed 1,532 foreigners from the island, among them 1,203  ( 78.5% )  Venezuelans. In the first four months of 2018, the authorities removed 475 foreigners including 386  ( 81.3% )  Venezuelans. People who are to be removed can be, and usually are, detained in prisons or police stations pending their removal.
Some Venezuelan children with irregular status do appear to attend school in Curaçao, but official or even reliable figures are not available. A concern parents described to the team was that without regular status, their children could not obtain diplomas at school; they feared this would impede their ability to graduate to higher classes. Some interviewees also described bullying of Venezuelan children in school as a serious concern.
Many of the larger Latin American countries that host Venezuelan migrants and refugees have adopted systems of varying coverage and effectiveness providing temporary legal status for those seeking refuge. This relief usually comes in the form of a temporary residence permit that often provides the right. to work.18 Curaçao has yet to establish such a system. Although the country does provide pathways for foreigners to obtain residence permits, they are all but inaccessible for recent arrivals from Venezuela.
With no asylum system and no alternative protection arrangements, Curaçao offers Venezuelans no real viable pathway to regularize their status. Instead, it has implemented an “active removal strategy for Venezuelans who find themselves trapped in an irregular situation. Under this policy, Venezuelans are detained, pending deportation, in the foreigners' barracks of the prison of Curaçao or in a police station.24 A lawyer with the firm Scheperboer Parris told Refugees International that in practice the guards working in the barracks make it difficult for her to access her Venezuelan clients who are in detention.
Article 2:239 of Curaçao's penal code criminalizes sex trafficking. However, the law focuses on traffickers, not victims. For Venezuelan victims of trafficking or exploitation, the current system is inadequate and ineffective. A major part of the problem is that trafficking victims have an extremely limited window to avail themselves of an opportunity to seek protection in the face of Curaçao's active removal and deportation strategy. In theory, protection from deportation should be available under the European Convention on Human Rights  ( ECHR ) . Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and thus is bound by the ECHR. Under Article 3 of the ECHR, individuals cannot be deported to their country of origin if there is a real risk they would be subjected to torture or other ill treatment.
In addition to civil and political unrest, Venezuela is also facing a terrible economic crisis with a projected 1,000,000 % inflation rate at the end of this year. A food and health crises threatens the lives of Venezuelans in general, and of small children, people with chronic illnesses and pregnant women in particular. Cáritas Venezuela reported an increase in cases of severe malnutrition in children under the age of five from an already extremely high level of 10.2% in February 2017 to 14.5% in September 2017.17 Beyond food, there is a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies. The Venezuelan healthcare system has deteriorated dramatically. In 2016 maternal mortality had increased by 65% compared to the previous year and infant mortality by 30%.18 Cases of malaria had increased by 76%.
These policies put Venezuelan women and girls in Curaçao at serious risk of abuse or exploitation. Refugees International also interviewed women who had been brought from Venezuela and forced to work in “snack bars' to repay the costs of the journey. These women were reportedly told they would serve drinks but actually are required to engage in sex work. As a social worker who focuses on women's health explained to Refugees International, “Many Venezuelan women are now arriving with a debt to pay back, so they often have to get their earnings with sex work as trago meisjes50  ( drink girls )  a situation that is immediately exploitative.'
In Curaçao, there is no effective asylum system and no real access to residence permits for recent arrivals from Venezuela. As a result, the vast majority of Venezuelans in the country are undocumented. Best estimates put their number somewhere between 10,000 and 13,000. This population is in an extremely vulnerable situation. Curaçao has enforced an “active removal strategy,' under which it detains and deports these Venezuelans. Refugees International interviewed many on the island who described a life of hiding behind closed doors, in constant fear of the authorities.