© UNICEF/Ndiaga Seck. In Tabar, Haiti, families gathered in a camp for displaced persons.
The surge in armed violence across Haiti has triggered a deep humanitarian crisis, with the number of internally displaced children soaring to 170,000, UNICEF said today.
This staggering figure is double that of last year, highlighting the rapid deterioration of the situation and its far-reaching impact on the country's most vulnerable children and families.
An endless wave of violence
As of January 2024, Haiti has nearly 314,000 displaced people across the country, most of them in Port-au-Prince and Artibonite, with an estimated half of them children, according to the latest figures. In less than two weeks, nearly 2,500 people, mostly women and children, have been forcibly displaced following clashes in the Solino and Gabelliste districts of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. The current situation is putting enormous pressure on the already limited resources and available social services of host communities.
UNICEF Representative in Haiti, Bruno Maes, visited three camps for displaced people in downtown Port-au-Prince. "In Haiti, children and families are experiencing an endless wave of brutal violence, with new and terrible events happening every day, such as the loss of loved ones, the destruction of homes by fire, and the continued shadow of fear," he said. ”
Childhood was taken away
"They are deprived of basic necessities such as food, health care and education, and are in the midst of a crisis where the essence of childhood is taken away," Mace said. This is a humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes. ”
The initial report received by UNICEF presents a dire picture of the current crisis and reveals grave violations of children's rights. Unfortunately, children are often injured or killed by crossfire, some even on their way to school. In addition, an increasing number of children are being forcibly recruited, while others are joining armed groups out of extreme desperation.
The violence, as well as a number of demonstrations and protests in various provinces, led to the temporary closure of hundreds of schools, depriving children of their right to education. Violence also impedes access to basic social services and hampers the efforts of humanitarian actors to provide emergency assistance to those in need.
We must not sit idly by
"We must not sit idly by while the future of Haitian children is eroded by untold suffering," Metz stressed. Every moment of inaction exacerbates the crisis that consumes their lives. The global community has a responsibility to bring hope and change to these young lives and ensure that they have a brighter and safer future. ”
UNICEF estimates that 3 million children across Haiti will be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024 due to escalating violence, malnutrition, resurgence of cholera and the collapse of essential services. More than a third of children are in urgent need of protection, and that number is expected to rise if the situation worsens. Haiti, already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has been further exacerbated by the crisis.
UNICEF is in action
In the face of these challenges, UNICEF and its partners are providing multisectoral assistance in affected areas, including to children separated from their families and children affected by violence.
UNICEF works side-by-side with partners to provide life-saving assistance, ensure that children have access to medical care, psychosocial support, and provide safe spaces for children to begin their healing and recovery journey.
To effectively respond to Haiti's humanitarian needs, UNICEF is requesting $221.7 million in funding for 2024.
