Impact on the Users
The U-Report Uniendo Voces has impacted a lot on the youth of Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador. The ongoing political, human rights, and socio-economic developments in Venezuela have led to an unprecedented population movement in this region. As of November 2020, more than 5.4 million Venezuelans have left their country; an estimated 4.6 million reside in South America and the Caribbean (R4V, 2020).
In the meantime, the pandemic highlighted new challenges for vulnerable populations and strained communities. Another factor limiting access to services, participation, and integration into host countries is the difficulties in accessing reliable information and maintaining communications with highly mobile communities, further hampered by prolonged lockdown measures and mobility restrictions.
Even before the pandemic, a study on information and communication needs suggested that 42% of people interviewed in the region said they lacked information about their rights or where to find assistance (R4V, 2019).
But as the U-Report Uniendo Voces launched in this region, they have been able to get the necessary information. Some of the impacts of this app on users are the following:
- A safe space to express themselves
- Peacebuilding within the community
- Empowerment of community
- Share social issues