UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday that continued violence and instability in Haiti has resulted in the displacement of over 300,000 children, with an estimated one child being displaced every minute since March.
“The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes is taking a devastating toll on children. Displaced children are in desperate need of a safe and protective environment and increased support and funding from the international community,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell, as she highlighted the horrific impact of violence on children and adolescents in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
UNICEF believes that across the country, an estimated three million children need humanitarian assistance against a backdrop of years of political turmoil, widespread poverty, rampant disease, and multiple disasters.
It said displaced children in Haiti face heightened risks of violence, including sexual assault, exploitation, abuse, and family separation. Their access to essential services such as safe spaces, healthcare, clean water, and sanitation is severely disrupted.
Poor hygiene conditions in camps and makeshift settlements increase their susceptibility to diseases like cholera, while school closures and economic constraints driven by the violence have forced many children to abandon their education.
Furthermore, with few other means of survival or protection, children are increasingly forced to join armed groups – a clear violation of their rights and a breach of international law, UNICEF said.
It said compounding these challenges, devastating hazards wreaking havoc across the country.
Haiti’s National Emergency Operations Center has warned of a “hyperactive” cyclone season, further threatening the vulnerable displaced population. Last month, a tornado in Bassin Bleu, Northwest Department, destroyed the homes of 650 children.
The crippled healthcare system that was barely able to cope with demand before the latest escalation of violence will have to contend with a rainy season that is expected to continue to worsen the situation, threatening to spike water-borne diseases, UNICEF warned.
“The needs in Haiti continue to grow, alongside the dangers for children,” Russell said, adding that everyone has a role to change the trajectory and ensure that children are protected, have education, and can access essential services.
“Children should not be paying with their lives and futures for a crisis created by adults,” she said.
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