Breaking Barriers: Strategies to Improve the Health of Migrant Women and Children in Colombia

This policy brief, produced by the study team from Universidad de los Andes, Brandeis University, and Boston College, examines how Colombia’s Estatuto de Protección Temporal para Migrantes Venezolanos (ETPMV) has affected access to healthcare for Venezuelan migrant women and children.

Since its introduction in 2021, the Permiso de Protección Temporal (PPT) has allowed many migrants to enrol in Colombia’s national health system. The study combined analysis of administrative data, telephone surveys (2020 and 2023), and 54 interviews with migrant women and key stakeholders to assess the impact.

Findings show that the ETPMV has increased health insurance enrolment and improved access to both public and private health services. Women reported using the public system primarily for children’s healthcare and pregnancy, while preferring private Venezuelan providers for their own care due to faster, more welcoming services.

However, key barriers remain including discrimination, informal payments, lack of information about entitlements, and unmet needs in sexual, reproductive, dental, and optometry care. Families with mixed regularisation status also face particular challenges.

Despite these barriers, most women expressed a desire to stay in Colombia, citing access to healthcare, informal job opportunities, and greater overall stability.

Read more about the R2HC funded study here.