Ulrika Richardson, who serves as the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, addressed the media from the city of Port-au-Prince. She spoke the day after the Government and their partners revealed a plan to offer food, housing, healthcare, education, and protection to 3.6 million individuals in 2021.

She expressed the need for greater unity and support in Haiti, emphasizing that the nation is currently facing a crucial period in its recent past.

Documented cases of violence and increased displacement

Ms. Richardson stated that the previous year experienced a significant rise in homicides, lynching, sexual assault, and other forms of violence by gang members primarily in the capital and the adjacent province of Artibonite.

In 2024, the trend of extreme tragedy has persisted, as stated by her. She also echoed the recent discoveries made by the United Nations Human Rights Office, OHCHR, that January was the most violent month in the past two years.

Reports of sexual assault, specifically group rape which primarily targets females, have noticeably increased by 50% compared to levels in 2022. In regards to this issue, she mentioned that the perpetrators are frequently not held accountable.

The amount of Haitian individuals who have been compelled to leave their residences has increased, reaching a total of 314,000. Many are resorting to sleeping in public areas, setting up temporary shelter in educational institutions, or residing in communities that are already overwhelmed by limited resources.

Education under attack 

The approximate number of people living in Haiti is 11 million, and it has been determined by humanitarian experts that about 5.5 million individuals are in need of aid.

Out of this total, over four million individuals are currently experiencing extreme lack of access to food, resulting in heightened malnutrition rates among young children and expectant mothers.

Furthermore, nearly half of the population in Haiti lacks the ability to obtain safe and sanitary drinking water.

Ms. Richardson emphasized the dire situation of children, who make up the vast majority of those requiring assistance, estimated at around three million. The widespread violence is jeopardizing their ability to receive an education, and students who depend on school meal programs are not receiving necessary nourishment.

“In January, there were 1,000 schools that were closed which had a significant impact on children’s education. This generation has already experienced disruptions to their schooling due to the combination of the COVID-19 lockdown and the breakdown of security and services.”

Assistance for the United Nations-supported undertaking

People living in neighborhoods impacted by gangs are constantly in danger, regardless of whether they are at home or out on the streets. Additionally, gangs frequently have influence over the main routes connecting to the capital, causing obstacles for both the local residents and humanitarian workers trying to help them.

Ms. Richardson was inquired about the sentiment of Haitians towards the UN Security Council’s approved multinational security support mission for reinforcing the national police.

“She responded saying that if you were to inquire with individuals on the street about whether they require aid in handling gang violence, their answer would be yes.”

In response to a previous inquiry, the experienced humanitarian expressed that the distress and agony in Haiti is extremely overwhelming and shocking.

Based on my observation, along with many others, including Haitians, what I have seen exceeded our worst fears and nightmares.

Tackle root causes 

In the previous year, the United Nations and its collaborators requested $720 million for their activities in Haiti and were granted approximately 34% of the budget.

She stated that the current financial funding is reduced, despite the increased demands, due to humanitarian efforts to be more precise in their methods and their successful collaboration with local groups.

She stated that we heavily rely on a strong effort from the global community, while also expressing optimism for the 2024 strategy.

She emphasized the limitations of relying solely on humanitarian aid to solve the crisis in Haiti and urged for simultaneous investment in addressing the underlying issues.

/news

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