Venezuela

In 2024, Venezuela advanced its national commitment to gender equality through the launch of the Gran Misión Venezuela Mujer, a flagship government initiative aimed at empowering women via education, entrepreneurship and the eradication of gender-based violence. This policy direction provided a foundation for UNDP to align its efforts with national priorities, reinforcing its role as a strategic partner in the country’s development agenda.

In 2024, a UNDP and UN Women Joint Portfolio was launched to accelerate gender equality and empower women and girls. This initiative has fostered collaboration with the Ministry of People's Power for Women and Gender Equity (MINMUJER) to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms for gender-based violence, with a focus on people-centred services. One of the key interventions under this portfolio was the support for the Training Centres for Comprehensive Care and Training for Women (CAFIM).

The CAFIM programme, launched in Venezuela in 2013, has long served as a cornerstone in the country’s efforts to provide legal and psychosocial support to women survivors of violence. In total, there are 19 CAFIMs nationwide. While legal assistance has remained a consistent strength of these centres, the new UNDP intervention introduces a transformative management model aimed at standardizing protocols, enhancing coordination with institutions that provide access to justice within the territorial scope of the CAFIMs, and expanding services through digital platforms and specialized training. This marks a significant evolution from service provision to systemic institutional strengthening, positioning CAFIMs as replicable models for national public policy.

The CAFIM in Ocumare del Tuy, Miranda state, was selected as the pilot centre for a new management model, with its inauguration scheduled for March 2025. UNDP’s support included technical consultancies, provision of essential equipment and the development of legal service infrastructure. Complementary support from UN Women has strengthened psychological services, reinforcing the holistic nature of the CAFIM model.

To expand access to legal training with a gender perspective, UNDP has also supported the Virtual Classroom of the Argelia Laya Feminist School of the South Foundation (FEMSUR), a MINMUJER-affiliated institution. This platform enables the training of women’s delegated defenders across the country, overcoming geographic barriers and ensuring consistent, high-quality support for victims. Since these defenders provide legal assistance within the CAFIMs, the intervention represents a key contribution to gender justice by strengthening their capacities and ensuring a more effective and gender-sensitive response to women's needs.

A significant achievement was the establishment of a systematic action plan involving regular meetings between UNDP experts and institutional stakeholders, including the Deputy Minister of Social Protection of Women’s Rights. This has fostered a community of practice in gender justice, enabling the co-creation of methodologies and sustainability strategies. Despite challenges such as high turnover in ministerial leadership, this collaborative model has proven effective in maintaining momentum and coherence.

UNDP’s intersectional and survivor-centred methodology respects the dignity and diversity of survivors, including women, children, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ individuals. Special attention is given to survivors of aggravated forms of violence, such as trafficking and femicide, ensuring that services are accessible, inclusive and non-discriminatory.