Haiti continues to grapple with a complex history of poverty, political instability, and natural hazards, with an increase in security and humanitarian challenges at the onset of 2024. The escalation of violence this year has created unpredictable deteriorations in the security situation. As a result, 3 million Haitian children are in need of humanitarian assistance.
A surge in armed violence has resulted in the repeated displacement of populations. By the end of September, almost 703,000 people were displaced. More than half of these displaced populations are children. At the start of this year, 900 of Haiti’s nearly 20,000 schools were closed due to security issues or for use as shelters for displaced families. Roughly 2 million people are at emergency levels of malnutrition rates. Cholera has also been a major concern and has led to the death 1,303 people and confirmed cases of 4,858 others.
Humanitarian intervention in Haiti must take a multi-pronged approach, which UNICEF is leading with partners. In September 2024, UNICEF:
- Screened 25,686 children under five for wasting in health facilities and at the community level
- Distributed 10,000 school-in-a-bag kits (1 per child) in Port-au-Prince
- Identified 197 unaccompanied and separated children and placed them in alternative care arrangements
- Provided 31.9 million litres of safe water for drinking and domestic use
- Transferred cash to 2,268 households, reaching 1,170 girls and 1,101 boys
- Provided 13,315 children with integrated packages of basic primary health care
With your support, UNICEF will continue working across the nutrition, health, education, child protection, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and social protection to reach the most vulnerable children and families.
