[{"bbox": [158, 153, 1073, 256], "category": "Text", "text": "resources. The Regional MIP also foresees addressing migration from Venezuela. The Commission's pledge in the context of the \"International Conference for Solidarity with Venezuelan Migrants\" (June 2021), included EUR 8 million from the Regional MIP, from the 2022 budget, for actions inside Venezuela."}, {"bbox": [158, 271, 1073, 299], "category": "Text", "text": "In order to cover priority areas (i) and (iii) above, AAP2022 proposes a support package focusing on:"}, {"bbox": [204, 310, 1073, 364], "category": "List-item", "text": "i. Contributing to protecting and promoting human rights through continued support to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR);"}, {"bbox": [204, 375, 1073, 429], "category": "List-item", "text": "ii. Support to community resilience by promoting citizen engagement at community level around the prioritisation and rehabilitation/management of basic services."}, {"bbox": [158, 441, 1073, 655], "category": "Text", "text": "The **first component** of the Action will provide further support to the country presence of the OHCHR Office and will thus aim to contribute to human rights promotion and protection, and to strengthening civil society resilience and counteracting some of the main restrictions on civic and democratic space. Through the Action, OHCHR will continue its work of documenting attacks against civil society and human rights defenders, allowing the Office to continue to provide regular updates on the situation of defenders and journalists. OHCHR will also monitor and report on the level of respect for public freedoms and political rights including in the framework of electoral processes that will take place throughout the upcoming years."}, {"bbox": [158, 666, 1073, 799], "category": "Text", "text": "The **second component** of the Action aims at strengthening community resilience by promoting citizen engagement at community level around the prioritisation and rehabilitation/management of basic services. This component will seek to identify at community level, in a participatory and inclusive manner (citizens, private sector and local authorities where possible), basic services to be rehabilitated and could also provide (limited) funding for their renovation."}, {"bbox": [158, 812, 1073, 890], "category": "Text", "text": "Complementary measures financed by thematic programmes on support to Human Rights and Democracy and Civil Society Organisations, will also cover the priority area (i) and (ii) of the Regional MIP (see below)."}, {"bbox": [158, 903, 1073, 1036], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Consensus for Development, the EU's Human Rights Country Strategy and the Gender Action Plan. The Action will contribute to SDG 10 Reduce inequalities, SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7 Affordable and clean energy, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 5: Gender."}, {"bbox": [147, 1075, 317, 1099], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2. RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [184, 1126, 304, 1150], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 2.1. Context"}, {"bbox": [158, 1166, 1073, 1565], "category": "Text", "text": "Since the 2015 parliamentary elections, disregard of the rule of law by the Maduro administration gained speed, civic space has progressively closed and democratic processes have virtually disappeared. The 2018 Presidential elections took place without complying with the minimal international standards and they were therefore not recognised by the EU and a large part of the international community, giving rise to the creation of two competing executive branches. Since then, the situation has evolved with the appointment in May 2021 of a more balanced National Electoral Council (CNE) and the decision in September 2021 by the mainstream opposition to return to the electoral arena and participate in the 21 November 2021 local and regional elections. In order to build on a possible window of opportunity to start a gradual process of re-institutionalisation of the country, the EU sent an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the 21 November elections. While acknowledging these elections as the first electoral process since 2015 that saw participation of the majority of opposition political parties, and improved electoral conditions compared to previous elections, the EOM also highlighted structural deficiencies and concluded that the lack of legal certainty and independence of the judiciary, non-adherence to the rule of law together with some media legislation, compromised the level playing field and the fairness and transparency of elections."}, {"bbox": [976, 1690, 1082, 1714], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 26"}]