Beschreibung
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Colombia, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implements between July 2025 and June 2028 the "Regions Initiative - Promoting the economic and health participation of particularly vulnerable refugees and migrants and host communities in Colombia".
Objective: to strengthen the inclusion and participation of migrants, women, LGBTIQ+ people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in Cali (mainly) and Bogota, by: (1) improving employment and income (training, entrepreneurship, linkage with private sector and finance); (2) access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights (training, adaptation of protocols, clinical partnerships); (3) prevention of gender-based violence (training of providers, adaptation of standards and strengthening of safe spaces).
With the reception of more than 2.81 million people from Venezuela, Colombia is one of the main receiving countries in the world. In addition, there are numerous refugees and migrants of other nationalities using Colombia as a transit country. In addition, by the end of 2023, 6.9 million Colombians were displaced within the country and more than 115,000 Colombians sought asylum outside the country, many in Spain.
Cali, capital of the department of Valle del Cauca, is a central receiving city for Venezuelan migrants and internally displaced persons, especially from the Pacific region. The term "migrants" also includes refugees, asylum seekers and returnees. Cali faces the challenge of promoting the inclusive participation of vulnerable groups in social life and the labor market. Most affected are women, youth, LSBTQI+ people, ethnic minorities such as indigenous and Afro-Colombians, and people with disabilities, who often suffer multiple discriminations.
The project's central objective is to strengthen the inclusive participation of migrants, women, LGBTIQ+ people, people with disabilities and other particularly vulnerable members of host communities in Colombia.