Six things to know about the humanitarian crisis in Haiti

By Véronique Durroux

Millions of people in Haiti don’t know where their next meal will come from. They don’t know when they will be able to go to work. Or send their children to school. And if they will ever have access to health services. As Haitians continue to be held hostage by armed group violence that has worsened over the past few months, the humanitarian community is doing its best to deliver aid within the constrained space.

1. Internal displacement has almost doubled since March 2024

Armed violence continues in Haiti, forcing many to flee and often to leave everything behind. More than 700,000 people are now displaced across the country—nearly double the number since March. Most are from the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Area, in the capital, where armed groups control 80 per cent of the neighbourhoods.

In May, a surge in violence disrupted previously safe areas like Gressier, a town south of Port-au-Prince. Armed groups, seeking to expand their territories, forced more than 33,000 people to flee to Léogâne, with women and children making up two-thirds of those displaced.

2. Hunger in Haiti is at a historic high: Most people struggle to eat a meal a day 

Nearly one in two Haitians is suffering from hunger, a number that has been steadily rising this last year. Armed groups have severely disrupted national food production and are blocking the movement of goods on major roads. Rising costs have meant that buying food accounts for up to 70 per cent of a household’s budget. Humanitarian partners are working with authorities to provide hot meals to the displaced, school meals across the country, and cash transfers so people can buy what they need most. Partners are also helping to restart local food production.

In partnership with Médecins du Monde Argentina, the World Food Programme is providing nutritional services at the Joseph Claude Bernard School, which hosts hundreds of displaced people. By November 2024, nearly 277,000 children aged 6 to 59 months are expected to face or be at risk of acute malnutrition, including 125,000 suffering from severe malnutrition.

3. The crisis is spilling into the provinces

Most displaced people have fled from the Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Area, three-quarters of whom found a safe haven in the provinces. In the Grand Sud, local communities have welcomed many from the capital. However, their resources are running out quickly due to the large influx. In the north-west, armed groups connected to those in the capital are expanding into Artibonite and terrorising the population. 

4. Access to medical care remains a major challenge

Armed violence has severely affected the health sector, forcing the closure of 63 health facilities across the country. Currently, less than a third of healthcare centres in the capital are still functioning. Many people can no longer access the care they need, including over 10,000 people living with HIV who have had to stop their antiretroviral treatment this year. If people don’t take the medicines regularly, the HIV virus can become resistant.

5. Sexual violence is affecting a growing number of women and girls

Sexual violence remains a major concern in Haiti, with armed groups spreading terror in many neighbourhoods both in the capital and in the provinces. Between January and August, more than 4,500 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were recorded. Many victims hesitate to seek care, either out of fear of reprisals or because of difficulties accessing services, and they often do not receive the assistance they need in time.

In a shelter for underage survivors of gender-based violence, non-governmental organizations have reported a rise in cases of sexual violence, particularly rape of women and minors, due to the escalating armed violence. Care and support facilities for survivors are overwhelmed, lacking the necessary space and funding to meet the growing needs.

6. Attending school remains a major challenge

The start of the school year on 1 October presents a significant challenge for the more than 350,000 displaced children and those living in gang-controlled areas. Many schools in the capital are currently sheltering displaced people who have nowhere else to go.

Through the "Back to Learning" campaign, UNICEF and local partners are supporting authorities in helping children affected by the crisis resume their education. This includes identifying and integrating more than 25,000 displaced children into host schools.

This story was first published to the website of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.