ICN expresses solidarity with Venezuelan nurses and calls for protection of rights in crises

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has been in direct contact with the Venezuelan Nursing Association (Federación de Colegios de Profesionales de Enfermería de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela/Federation of Nursing Professionals of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) in response to recent political developments and the ongoing crisis affecting the country. ICN has reached out to express solidarity and to reaffirm that the global nursing community supports Venezuelan nurses during this challenging time. For nurses, the pressures of emergencies are often intensified by already difficult working conditions, resource shortages and high demands for care. Even so, nurses in Venezuela and around the world continue to fulfil their professional and ethical responsibilities to patients and communities, often while facing heightened personal and professional vulnerability.

More broadly, ICN recognizes that times of political, social and institutional crisis place individual and collective rights at particular risk. It is critical that International Humanitarian Law, protecting the safety of health care workers and facilities, is respected in all places. States of emergency and crisis can also involve strong risks to civil liberties, including the right to speak and organize freely and to come together collectively to promote and defend work interests, as enshrined by the International Labour Organization.

President of ICN, Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano said: “As ICN President, I reaffirm that protecting life and health must remain paramount in all circumstances. Nurses in Venezuela continue to deliver essential care under extremely challenging conditions. Their safety, dignity and access to resources must be ensured, in full respect of international law protecting health workers and facilities. ICN also stresses the importance of maintaining health services, enabling humanitarian access where needed, and ensuring that nurses can speak and organize professionally without fear. ICN will continue its dialogue with the national nursing organization and stand with nurses in promoting human rights, safe working conditions and peace.”

In ICN’s #Nurses4Peace campaign, humanitarian work, and general advocacy, ICN calls for full protection of nurses’ rights to safety, dignity, and the ability to express their collective voice. Respect for these rights is essential not only for nurses themselves, but for the resilience and functioning of health systems, especially during periods of instability or emergency.

The Venezuelan Nursing Association has expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown and continues to be in touch with ICN to discuss the situation. ICN remains committed to maintaining dialogue, listening to the experiences of nurses on the ground, and standing with nurses in Venezuela and in all situations of crisis and conflict worldwide in calling for respect for human rights and safety, decent working conditions, and peace, even in the most difficult circumstances