How UNICEF Is Helping Venezuelan Children
Millions of children in Venezuela face hunger, illness and disrupted education. An economic crisis amid political upheaval have left families struggling to meet basic needs. Learn how UNICEF is delivering support and protection and bringing hope to Venezuelan families.
UNICEF programs support the health, education and protection of Venezuelan children
Venezuela's severe and prolonged economic crisis has been tough on children and families. Events that unfolded in early 2025 have only compounded humanitarian needs.
Soaring inflation has eroded household purchasing power, leaving families unable to afford food, medicine and other essentials. With social services overstretched, many children in Venezuela face multiple deprivations, from malnutrition to disease, and heightened risks of violence and exploitation.
Migration — both voluntary and involuntary — is further straining fragile systems. Rising geopolitical tensions and climate-related shocks have deepened vulnerabilities.
UNICEF focuses on helping to strengthen critical systems and services that children rely on to survive and thrive, working alongside partners to deliver support nationwide, in both rural and urban areas of the country, taking an integrated approach.
Critical efforts include improving access to clean, safe water and sanitation; enhancing early detection and treatment of malnutrition; and strengthening access to essential health care services, including immunizations to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
UNICEF is also focused on strengthening child protection, including gender-based violence prevention and response, while supporting disaster preparedness efforts to build resilience against future shocks.
In times of crisis, as needs intensify, UNICEF acts to pre-position emergency supplies and scale up lifesaving support focused on Venezuelan children and families with the most urgent needs, including displaced families living in shelters and households with malnourished children.
In January 2026, Venezuela declared a State of External Commotion, signaling the potential escalation of an already fragile situation following an abrupt change in government leadership. UNICEF responded by initiating emergency preparedness measures as needed to mitigate any impacts of the crisis on Venezuelan children's physical and mental health, safety and well-being.
Read on to learn more about ongoing UNICEF programs and system strengthening efforts in Venezuela.
Explore UNICEF's appeal for humanitarian support for Venezuela in 2026
Improving access to clean, safe water and sanitation
Many communities in Venezuela lack reliable access to safe water and sanitation. Water systems are frequently interrupted or contaminated, and climate-related droughts and floods make access even more fragile. Droughts and floods, which have grown worse due to climate change, have exacerbated the problem. Poor sanitation remains widespread, while the practice of open defecation continues.
UNICEF helps secure access to safe water in areas that lack it through water trucking if needed while working with partners to make emergency repairs to water systems, rehabilitating deteriorating water treatment plants, installing portable treatment units and distributing chlorine tablets to households.
UNICEF also provides essential items such as soap and disinfectant, to households and health facilities to support infection prevention and control.
Working with community partners, UNICEF promotes proper hygiene practices through education programs and workshops and supports menstrual health and hygiene for women and girls.
Learn more about UNICEF's focus on safe, clean water for all
Enhancing health care services, including immunizations
Venezuelans face health crises on a number of fronts. Many health facilities lack basic supplies and consistent access to clean water, leaving communities without reliable care or access to routine vaccinations, leading to high child and maternal mortality rates.
UNICEF works with Venezuela's Ministry of Health and other local partners to address critical gaps in maternal, infant, child and adolescent health care, by:
- supporting hospitals and primary care facilities and mobile teams operating in underserved areas — including this floating clinic
- providing treatment for acute malnutrition — including therapeutic feeding programs and micronutrient supplementation for children under age 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women
- strengthening immunization systems, ensuring vaccine availability and delivery through reinforced cold chain infrastructure and emergency logistics
- training and equipping health workers to delivery quality care, and providing skilled personnel and access to facilities for safer childbirth
- providing HIV treatment and education
- supporting national health systems and frontline providers to strengthen long-term care
- partnering with community groups to mobilize community outreach efforts and serve at-risk children and their families where they live
- consulting with experts to improve communication with indigenous groups, building trust
- enhancing outbreak preparedness and response — including rapid detection, surveillance and deployment of emergency health teams
Related: Why Vaccines Matter for Children
Strengthening child protection services
Children across Venezuela face many dangers from political unrest and the presence of armed non-state actors. Children are also at risk from family separation, early unions and recruitment or exploitation in areas affected by violence. Human trafficking is an ever-present threat. Children who are displaced by climate change-related disasters are especially at risk.
Through its programming, UNICEF provides individual case management, legal advice, family tracing and unification and other support services to help keep children and adolescents safe and to protect their rights.
UNICEF also works with government and community partners to provide psychosocial services, a blend of mental health, emotional and social support. Laaha, a global digital initiative, is active in the country, providing a virtual safe space for adolescents and women.
UNICEF continues to contribute to the strengthening of grassroots organizations working with indigenous communities in border areas — places where Venezuelan children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation and recruitment by armed gangs.
UNICEF also supports Venezuelans with specialized services for children and adolescents with disabilities, focusing on improving accessibility and inclusivity and providing training programs for families.
Other important UNICEF-supported efforts include monitoring and reporting of child rights violations; raising awareness of protection risks; and strengthening referral mechanisms, case management and response services for child victims.
Promoting quality education and school attendance
In education, UNICEF focuses on getting out-of-school kids back into a classroom, improving attendance rates and supporting schools to help ensure quality learning. Schools are also where UNICEF can effectively reach children in need with other critical services, such as a nutritious meal, psychosocial support and protection from violence.
Schools across Venezuela face major challenges, including shortages of qualified teachers — partially due to inadequate pay, limited supplies and damaged or under-resourced infrastructure and facilities. Many children are out of school or at risk of falling behind due to disrupted learning.
UNICEF works in Venezuela to train teachers, helping them build professional skills and integrate mental health and psychosocial support into classrooms so children can learn in safe and nurturing environments. UNICEF also provides students with individual learning materials.
Partnering with local organizations, UNICEF also supports Venezuelan children by promoting early childhood development (ECD) instruction; distributing learning kits for children with physical or learning disabilities; providing support to affected students and teachers during natural disasters; and working with national and local partners to enhance disaster preparedness and emergency response capacities.
Addressing the needs of Venezuelan children on the move
Millions of Venezuelans have migrated or relocated in recent years due to economic hardship, insecurity or lack of basic services. UNICEF supports Venezuelan refugee and migrant children and families across Central and South America, working with partners on the ground, including governments in transit and destination countries, to provide access to health, WASH, education, psychosocial support, protection and family reunification services.
UNICEF prioritizes the protection of children and adolescents on the move— especially girls and separated or unaccompanied children, who face even higher safety risks. The flight across the border into Colombia is especially dangerous, with armed groups often charging a fee to cross and, in some cases, beating, raping or killing those who couldn’t pay.
All along migration routes, UNICEF works with shelters to provide tools and training to enhance access to these services. UNICEF also supports initiatives that work with consulates in individual countries to provide migrant children with legal identification so that they can better access essential services.
UNICEF in Venezuela: FAQs
What are the main challenges facing Venezuelan children?
The main challenges include severe malnutrition, lack of access to health care and education, exposure to violence, psychological trauma due to ongoing crises and the risk of exploitation. Many children have been separated from their families due to migration or economic pressures.
How is UNICEF helping Venezuelan children?
UNICEF provides a comprehensive range of services, including emergency food distribution, mobile health care clinics, education support, child protection services, clean water and sanitation initiatives and livelihood support for families. UNICEF programs reach both those within Venezuela and refugees in neighboring countries.
What is the best way to help Venezuelan children?
Supporters can help by making a financial donation to UNICEF, spreading awareness about the crisis, advocating for policies that support Venezuelan refugees, and potentially volunteering their skills or organizing fundraising events in their community.
What is the scale of the Venezuelan refugee crisis?
The Venezuelan refugee crisis is one of the largest displacement crises in the world, putting immense pressure on host countries and humanitarian organizations.
How much of my donation goes to helping Venezuelan children?
85% of donations to UNICEF USA go directly to UNICEF programs. The remaining funds are used for essential administrative costs and fundraising efforts to expand our reach. Annual reports are available for public review for full financial transparency.