Haiti: Nearly three million children are in need of humanitarian assistance, the highest number on record

ROME – Nearly 3 million children – the highest number on record – need humanitarian support in Haiti, reports theUnicef. In the small Caribbean country hostage to war between armed gangs and now in the throes of a resurgence of cholera, violence has exacerbated hunger and severe malnutrition.

Being a child in Haiti. It is tougher and more dangerous than it has ever been in living memory, says Bruno Maes, representative of Unicef in Haiti. The threats and hardships that the little ones face are unimaginable and for this they are in desperate need of protection and support. Children in Haiti live in a constant state of guerrilla warfare. As armed groups terrorize the population in the struggle for control of the territory, especially in Port-au-Prince, the capital, and now also in the Artibonite region, children risk being killed or injured on their way to school. Girls and boys suffer sexual violence. Kidnappings for ransom are on the rise, as are attacks on school facilities. There are hundreds of displaced people in the country due to the violence that erupted in July 2021 following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Poverty. At the same time, hunger and severe acute malnutrition have reached record levels across the country, even if the most complicated situation is recorded in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where many people live practically trapped and are cut off from essential services. The number of children suffering from malnutrition has increased by 30 percent since last year and nearly one in four children across the country suffer from chronic malnutrition.

Inflation. Rising inflation and high prices exacerbate poverty for Haitians, many of whom cannot afford even a basic meal. Haiti is among the ten countries most affected by food price inflation, according to the World Bank. Eight out of ten people are currently forced to reduce the amount of meals. Inflation is at 47 percent, up from 38.7 percent in December. In January, the price of a food basket had risen 88 percent from a year earlier, while the Haitian gourde fell 45 percent against the US dollar.

Recruitment in armed gangs. To escape poverty and hunger, many children try to enlist in armed groups, which has become the main way to be able to obtain security, protection, food and some income to share with the family. Some children have even told Unicef ​​that armed groups provide a sense of identity and belonging.

Rains and earthquakes. In addition to violence, hunger and the cholera epidemic, Haiti now also faces the threat of storms and earthquakes. In early June, when the hurricane season began, a series of torrential rains caused destructive flooding and flooding. After the floods, an earthquake hit the Grand Anse area, which was still dealing with the aftermath of the 2021 earthquake.

Humanitarian needs. Haiti has been the victim of inequalities and social exclusion at very high levels for decades. It is the poorest and least developed country in the Western Hemisphere and is ill-equipped to deal with the multiple crises it faces. Nearly three million children need urgent humanitarian assistance to survive, the highest number on record. But the funding – Unicef ​​denounces – is far below the actual needs. Of the 246 million dollars that the country would need to deal with the political, social and economic crisis, for now just under 15 percent has been financed. To save the children of Haiti would need therapeutic food, vaccines, drinking water and sanitation.