Haiti: Mass displacement and deportation surge amid violence
Between January 1 and March 31, at least 1,617 people were killed and 580 others injured in violence involving gangs, self-defence groups, or other members of the population, as well as during security force operations, according to the United Nations…
UN alert over rising deportations of Haitian mothers and newborns from Dominican Republic
According to the UN migration agency, IOM, recent weeks have seen an increase in the deportation of women, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as children and newborn babies. The agency has emphasised the heightened risks these…
Colombia: UN mission chief stresses need to advance implementation of peace deal
Carlos Ruiz Massieu said an upsurge in violence in some regions has highlighted challenges to achieving peace. “In places like Catatumbo, Cauca or Chocó, continued violence, insecurity, poverty and illicit economies underscore how important it is to continue advancing in…
Haiti faces ‘point of no return’ as gang violence fuels chaos
Special Representative María Isabel Salvador told ambassadors in the Security Council that a “deliberate and coordinated” campaign is being waged by organized crime groups to expand territorial control and paralyse the capital, Port-au-Prince. Recent gang attacks have targeted previously…
How Haiti paid for its freedom – twice over
The first country ever to free itself from slavery through a successful uprising, Haiti gained independence from France in 1804. But the price for defying the colonial order was steep. On April 17, 1825, besieged by French warships, Haiti agreed…
Record hunger in Haiti amid rising needs
The UN agency is sounding the alarm following the release of the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which uses a scale from 1 to 5 to assess conditions. It reveals that more than half the Haitian population,…
The ‘chinamperos’ have provided Mexico City with food for generations. Do they have a future?
The chinamperos get their name from ‘chinampas,’ the human-made islands of floating gardens on which they farm. It was the Aztecs who discovered that, by layering mud, plants and branches on shallow lake beds, they could create highly fertile plots…
Haiti reaches ‘yet another crisis point’ as gangs tighten their grip
Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the country had reached “yet another crisis Security Council-mandated Multinational Security Support Mission, the State is losing ground. Law enforcement operations against gangs have resulted in over 2,000 people killed…
Extreme weather impacts cascading ‘from the Andes to the Amazon’
The study also highlights positive developments amid the bleak news, such as the growing role of renewable energy in the region and the power of early warning systems to save lives. “In 2024, weather and climate impacts cascaded from the…
Violence triggers record displacements in Haiti’s capital
Gang violence, displacement and instability have long gripped Port-au-Prince and other parts of the country, but attacks over the past two months have shattered even the few remaining gang-free areas, leaving communities increasingly vulnerable. The Toussaint Louverture International Airport in…