Forced Migration and Reproductive Rights: Pregnant Women Fleeing Venezuela

This paper analyzes Colombia’s international human rights obligations concerning the immigration status and the right to reproductive health of pregnant Venezuelan women. These women flee to Colombia in search of reproductive health care and safety for their children and their own lives as a result of the serious denial of health care in Venezuela. However, pregnant Venezuelan women are not receiving adequate prenatal and postnatal care because of the insufficient health care system for immigrants in Colombia. The Colombian government only provides them with emergency health care because most Venezuelan pregnant women arrive with irregular immigration status. Thus, the authors emphasize that it is crucial for Colombia to formally recognize these women as refugees and provide them with accessible and sufficient reproductive health care.