A/HRC/59/49/Add.1 E. Access to the labour market 50. Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia represent a significant portion of the working-age population, offering both opportunities and challenges for the country’s labour market. Mixed migration has reshaped the Colombian workforce, with many people actively seeking economic integration. The regional socioeconomic integration strategy promotes responses that reduce levels of socioeconomic vulnerability of refugees and migrants and maximizes their contributions to destination countries. Seven priority areas are set out in the strategy, including: the regularization and profiling of refugees and migrants; professional training and recognition of qualifications and competencies; employment promotion; entrepreneurship and business development; financial inclusion; access to social protection; and social cohesion. 51. The Temporary Protection Statute for Venezuelan Migrants has played a crucial role in regularizing the legal status of Venezuelans in Colombia. Temporary protection permits allow them to work legally and to access a full range of public services. The Government has also implemented employment facilitation measures, for example through labour market orientation programmes and vocational training, aimed at increasing the employability of migrants, including through its network of employment service providers and the National Training Service (SENA). 52. Despite these efforts, the lack of opportunity to work outside the informal labour sector continues to be a defining challenge for migrant workers in Colombia. Approximately 78 per cent of migrants in Colombia work in the informal labour market. Limited opportunities for accessing formal jobs and the low level of earnings for migrants in informal economies put them in vulnerable situations and limit their access to other human rights, such as housing, social security and food security. Many Venezuelan professionals, including doctors, engineers and educators, are unable to practice their professions owing to the lack of efficient mechanisms to certify their academic qualifications. Gender gaps in access to employment also persist: While 52 per cent of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia are women, the Ministry of Labour has registered their unemployment rate at 29.2 per cent in 2023, compared to 14.9 per cent for migrant men. 53. Working in informal economy, migrants are often subjected to exploitative working conditions, low wages, job instability and exclusion from social security benefits. While some migrants have been able to join trade unions, inclusion in these organizations remains low. 54. Women and young migrants face additional vulnerabilities, including discrimination in hiring and an increased likelihood of being hired for precarious employment. Moreover, limited childcare services further restrict economic opportunities for migrant mothers, particularly those with young children, who struggle to balance work and caregiving responsibilities. For LGBITQ+ persons in migration, especially transgender migrants, barriers for accessing employment and employment-related services continue to be significant. F. Housing and social assistance 55. Most migrants do not have access to stable housing. It is estimated that one third of the migrant population lives in overcrowded conditions. Moreover, there are discriminatory practices in the rental market. Some places do not accept migrant tenants. In the absence of a permanent address, migrants face difficulties in registering in the State system in order to realize other rights. Food security is another concern. Based on the information received, the majority of refugees and migrants with the intention to stay in Colombia lack food security. In 2023, over 60 per cent of households consumed two meals a day or less. G. Migrants in situation of vulnerability 56. In addition to the migrant Venezuelan community, which makes up most of the migrant and refugee population in Colombia, there are over 162 other nationalities in transit 10 GE.25-06163