Promoting inclusive education and equal opportunities for migrant and refugee children and adolescents and host communities in Peru.

ECW in Peru

Millions of Venezuelans have fled their homes seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. The majority of displaced Venezuelans live in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Peru hosting the second largest number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Despite post-pandemic economic growth in Peru, political instability continues to threaten children’s access to quality learning opportunities, particularly for children from indigenous communities, children with disabilities and Venezuelan refugee and migrant children. To be protected, children are in dire need of assistance and reintegration into the formal school system. Since 2019, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has been supporting partners in Peru to help the most marginalised children access formal education and strengthen foundational skills. This is part of the Fund’s response to the impacts of the Venezuelan regional crisis in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

Geographical Areas of ECW-funded Interventions
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Investments

Financial Information

National Counterparts

Ministry of Education

Results

Additional Results

  • Number of children and adolescents who completed an ECW-supported non-formal education programme: 1,236
  • Number of girls and boys receiving cash transfers for education: 5,778

COVID-19 Results

Programme Info

Girl in Peru speaking.
The humanitarian, political and socio-economic crises in Venezuela have resulted in extreme food insecurity and hyperinflation, which in turn have disrupted Venezuela’s public services and educational system. This has caused the loss of multiple years of schooling, limited access to essential goods, threats to protection and safety, and a lack of access to public services.

Millions of Venezuelans have left for neighbouring countries causing the largest exodus in the recent history of Latin America. Vulnerable children and youth are at increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence, early marriage and pregnancy, recruitment into criminal gangs and other armed groups, and other forms of abuse and exploitation.

In Peru, where a large number of Venezuelans have relocated, tens of thousands of displaced children and adolescents remain out of school despite successful reintegration efforts by the Ministry of Education. Since 2015, the number of students and refugees requiring support and needing reintegration into the formal school system has substantially increased.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantine measures in Peru have taken a severe toll on children and their families, affecting Venezuelans in particular. Children and youth are faced with multiplying risks including hunger, poverty, an increase in mental health issues and gender-based violence. There have also been notable spikes in the number of missing girls, cases of abuse, and unintended and early pregnancies.

Building on the impact of the First Emergency Response (FER) initially rolled out in 2019, ECW has launched a Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP). The focus is on ensuring access to inclusive and equitable quality education for Venezuelan refugee, migrant and host-community children and adolescents.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ECW has supported alternative education approaches such as remote learning, remedial education and psychosocial support have been prioritized to ensure the continuity of education.

Similar MYRPs have also been launched in Colombia and Ecuador.

Programme Components

  • Providing learning materials. Support the distribution of materials to schools and students to improve learning outcomes.
  • Reintegrating students. Grantees provide cash transfers and learning kits to support the reintegration of children and adolescents into school. This includes a focus on children with disabilities, ensuring their access to inclusive education.
  • Supporting through cash-based assistance. Crisis-affected migrant and refugee children and adolescents receive cash-based assistance, supporting equitable and holistic education.
  • Training and supporting teachers. Grantees train school principals and teachers on gender inclusion, mental health and psychosocial support, digital skills-building and incorporating socio-emotional and life skills into curricula.

For more information on ECW's work in Peru, please contact Country Lead Dianah Nelsen (dnelson@unicef.org) and Programme Manager Vina Barahman (vbarahman@un-ecw.org).

Related News & Stories

Related Resources

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ECW Multi-Year Resilience Programme: Peru 2020-2023

Programme Documents
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