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Story
03 July 2023
‘Generations of Haitians’ at risk, warns Guterres, calling for international force to help quell gang violence
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Story
21 June 2023
WFP AND UNICEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS VISIT HAITI TO GALVANIZE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AMID RECORD HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
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Story
19 June 2023
Haiti: ‘Take urgent action now’ urges ECOSOC President
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Haiti
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action aimed at eradicating poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring peace and prosperity for all people. These are also the objectives of the UN in Haiti.
Publication
20 April 2023
Cadre de Coopération des Nations Unies pour le Développement Durable 2023-2027
Le Cadre de Coopération des Nations Unies pour le Développement Durable représente l’engagement collectif de l’ONU en Haïti afin d’accompagner les efforts du pays dans la réalisation de l’Agenda 2030 pour le développement durable et assurer une mise en œuvre du Programme Commun des Nations Unies ainsi que le Nouvel Agenda pour la Paix.
Le Cadre de Coopération des Nations Unies pour le Développement Durable est aligné sur les priorités du Plan Stratégique de Développement d’Haïti (PSDH) et sur la vision du Gouvernement visant à faire d’Haïti un pays émergent. Élaboré sur la base des principes de la réforme du Système des Nations Unies, ce Cadre de Coopération marque un nouvel élan dans le partenariat entre l’ONU et le Gouvernement pour la période 2023-2027. Il repose sur une vision partagée des défis et des opportunités du pays. Il s’aligne aussi sur les recommandations issues de l’Examen périodique universel (EPU) d’Haïti de 2022 et fait écho aux valeurs de justice, de liberté et de dignité portées par la Déclaration universelle des droits de l’homme.
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Story
25 July 2022
Building a more resilient post-earthquake future in Haiti
A year after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, communities continue to rebuild their lives and be better prepared for future disasters.
A line of women carry rocks in the hands and on their heads as they descend to a gully on the side of a hill in southern Haiti. They are bringing the rocks so their community can build barriers which will slow down the flow of water across this verdant valley and prevent the erosion of land that is important to this rural farming community.
This is a team of women and men from vulnerable communities in one of three departments across Haiti’s southern peninsula which were hit by a destructive 7.2 magnitude earthquake on 14 August, 2021. More than 2,200 people died in the disaster and over 137,000 homes were destroyed or damaged alongside hospitals, schools and key transport infrastructure, including roads and bridges.
Just down the valley, another team of around 36 people is working hard at clearing the road as part of a rehabilitation programme. They are being paid some 500 Haitian gourdes (around $5) for a 4-5 hour day and will spend 20 days working to improve their community.
“The money I earn helps me to pay for food, school and other household needs,” says Tesse Medgune. “Many families lost their livelihood because of the earthquake so this helps us to survive.”
The rehabilitation work on the side of the hill and valley road is supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) and is part of a Haitian government effort to improve the resilience of vulnerable people who are threatened by natural disasters. Many of these people are also receive support to improve food production activities and their nutrition.
There are 16 similar teams in in this immediate area and many more across the southern peninsula of Haiti where the earthquake caused most damage.
“The money people have earned is important in the short-term to get them through the difficult post-earthquake period,” says WFP’s Sophia Toussaint, ‘but it’s also crucial to their longer-term future. Protecting the hillside stops soil erosion and means farmers are less likely to lose their crops in a natural disaster; having a good road allows produce to be more easily sent to market” she adds. “It also means that aid can be delivered more effectively, and people can get to hospital if there is another earthquake.”
Jerry Chandler is the Director General of Haiti’s Civil Protection agency. “We have worked closely with our international partners, including the UN to ensure that our disaster response is more robust. So, we are planning for the eventuality of another disaster happening but also ensuring that the impact is lessened.”
A year on from the earthquake, the United Nations continues to support communities throughout the three most affected departments, Grand Anse, Nippes and Sud. Some 26,200 people fled their uninhabitable homes and the majority were accommodated in 85 temporary displacement sites.
A majority have now returned home including Roslaine Jeantine and her three sons. The roof of her small home in the commune of Laurent just outside the city of Les Cayes, collapsed in the earthquake injuring the leg of her oldest son, however the walls remained in place. She was encouraged to return home with the support of a roof building kit provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
“I sold my goat to pay for two carpenters to install my new roof,” says Roslaine Jeantine. “I still feel panicked when I hear a loud noise, thinking it could be another earthquake, but I know that this roof is well made and will protect me and my family from bad weather.”
IOM has distributed around 100 kits in Laurent, which include everything a family needs to build a roof; wood, tin sheets, nails and more. In total, some 500 have been distributed across the earthquake-affected area to the most vulnerable families.
“These roofs are important not just because they provide shelter,” says IOM’ s Jean Gardy Saint Juste “they also empower families to make their own decisions about how to repair their houses and thus rebuild their lives. In this sense they are creating their own resilience to future disasters with a little support from IOM.”
As houses are rebuilt roof by roof and roads repaired stone by stone, UN agencies are currently still working in the three departments providing much needed services but also creating space for communities to make decisions about how best to protect themselves in the event of another earthquake.
In 2022, WFP Haiti’s resilience programmes are supported by Switzerland, Canada, South Korea (KOICA) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID/BHA).
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Story
22 October 2021
Faces of Recovery: Leading by example
Wadlet Merant’s house in Pestel was damaged in the earthquake, however as the secretary of the U-Report club (a youth community group) he was committed to helping others survive the worst affects of the catastrophic event.
“I was in total panic. It was a terrible thing. It was like the end of the world. Members of the U-Report club were together on the ground pulling people out of the rubble.
Today, the work of our U-reporters continues. It has been very encouraging to see all the young people supporting each other and the community they live in. I have witnessed change at first hand. People and especially young people started to behave differently after what had happened, helping each other in a more prominent way.
Before the earthquake, U-Reporters led by example, cleaning public spaces. Now, young people help us to clean the streets and to remove the rubble. The entire community in Pestel is helping to make the city cleaner. I did not expect that. This is a really important gesture”.
Read more about the U-Reporters here
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Story
16 August 2022
First Person: Taking to the sea to deliver aid in Haiti
A shipping officer working for the World Food Programme in Haiti has been explaining why the delivery of humanitarian aid by ship is becoming increasingly critical.
Captain Madeleine Habib, who is from Australia, spoke about her experiences ahead of World Humanitarian Day, which is marked annually on 19 August and the theme for which this year is “It takes a village.”
“I am a Shipping Officer for the World Food Programme in Haiti. I manage the organization’s coastal shipping service to ensure the safe transit of essential humanitarian goods and assets to the northern and southern parts of the country.
A maritime alternative is increasingly critical as gang control over the highways out of the capital continues to grow. This means that the Haitian population and humanitarian actors have limited freedom of movement in and out of the capital.
The situation has a huge impact on the population's income and on the implementation of humanitarian and development projects that should support the community.
This is especially true for the population of the southern peninsula of the country which is still suffering from the devastating impact of the August 2021 earthquake.
One year after the disaster, I recognize that thousands of people, especially in the south, are still struggling to recover and are unable to rebuild their lives because the growing insecurity in Port-au-Prince has shattered their economic prospects. Farmers in the rural south are unable to get their produce to markets so their livelihoods are suffering.
It takes a village and supply chain is an essential part of that village. We might not be on the frontline, but our network of trucks, ships and planes keeps essential humanitarian aid moving towards our beneficiaries.
Our team continues to ensure the transportation of humanitarian aid to these vulnerable populations.”
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Story
28 October 2021
Faces of recovery: Looking towards a better life
Marie Myrlène Théolien a nurse at LESPWA, a UN-supported hospital in Jérémie, in Grande-Anse, says she hopes the earthquake which caused widespread devastation in her home town will provide people with the motivation to create a “better life”.
“The earthquake on 14 August caused a lot of destruction in the south of the country and my house was also badly damaged. I like many other people here are really motivated to rebuild and recover after this disaster. In the future, we must make sure that we are better prepared for events like this, so fewer people die. We also need to make sure that our people are healthy and for that, we need more support.
So, I have continued to work as a nurse and am now focused on trying to get people vaccinated against COVID-19 by explaining why it is so important to be protected. Many, however, do not believe that the virus exists.
We have all lost a lot during the earthquake, but I hope these losses can help us to move on to greater things. I am optimistic that our future can be better, but we do need help."
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Story
03 July 2023
‘Generations of Haitians’ at risk, warns Guterres, calling for international force to help quell gang violence
In Port-au-Prince on Saturday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed solidarity with the Haitian people “facing a terrible and mutually reinforcing cycle of… crises”, and urged deployment of an international force to assist the National Police in combating gang violence.
The UN chief expressed deep concern at the extreme vulnerability faced by the Haitian people – especially women and girls – because of brutally violent and “predatory” armed gangs, like those encircling the capital, blocking main roads and controlling access to water, food, health care.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the widespread sexual violence which the armed gangs have used as a weapon to instil fear,” he said, calling on the entire international community to urgently “put the victims and the civilian population at the centre of our concerns and priorities.”
Deployment of an international force
Speaking to reporters in the Haitian capital, Mr. Guterres said that lasting and fully representative political solutions in Haiti would be impossible without a drastic improvement in the security situation.
“Every day counts. If we do not act now, instability and violence will have a lasting impact on generations of Haitians,” warned the Secretary-General, calling on all partners to increase their support for the national police in the form of financing, training or equipment.
However, such assistance alone might not be enough to restore the authority of the State.
“I continue to urge the Security Council to authorize the immediate deployment of a robust international force to assist the Haitian National Police in its fight against the gangs,” emphasized the UN chief.
Political entente to end the crisis
During his one-day visit to the Haitian capital, the Secretary-General he met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the High Transitional Council, members of civil society and the political parties, speaking to all of them on the need for ‘a political entente to end the crisis’.
“I call on all actors to create the conditions necessary for the restoration of democratic institutions,” said Mr. Guterres, inviting all parties involved to “rise above personal interests and make concessions” enabling emergence of a common vision and setting a viable and credible electoral pathway.
He commended the recent inter-Haitian talks, facilitated by the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, aimed at reaching agreement on the formation of a national unity government and the expansion of the High Transitional Council.
“Only an inclusive national dialogue – with the full participation of women and young people – will help end the insecurity and find lasting political solutions,” Mr. Guterres said, and added that the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the entire UN system would continue to back these efforts.
‘A matter of moral justice’
While in Port-au-Prince, the Secretary-General met local men and women.
“I felt all the exhaustion of a people who have long been grappling with a cascade of crises and unacceptable living conditions. I listened to their call for help,” said the UN chief, noting that currently, one in two Haitians lives in extreme poverty, suffers from hunger, and does not have regular access to drinking water.
With the Haitian people facing such grave challenges, the Secretary-General lamented that the UN humanitarian response plan, which requires $720 million to assist more than three million people, is only 23 per cent funded.
It is “a matter of solidarity and moral justice” that the international community step up, he stated.
He specially commended the courage and dedication of humanitarian workers who provide assistance despite many obstacles and asked all stakeholders to uphold human rights and international law and to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Haiti.
‘No solution without the Haitian people’
Only inclusive and sustainable development will help to break the historical cycle of crises, address the humanitarian and security challenges, and create a stable constitutional and political environment, stated the UN chief.
“No solution can be found without the Haitian people,” he continued, but acknowledged that the scale of the problems demands the full support of the international community.
To garner that and more, the Secretary-General said that he is heading on Sunday to Trinidad and Tobago, where will participate in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit, which brings together the region’s 20 countries, among others.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Story
21 June 2023
WFP AND UNICEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS VISIT HAITI TO GALVANIZE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AMID RECORD HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
PORT-AU-PRINCE – The heads of UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) ended missions to Haiti today, calling for far more support for highly vulnerable children and families who face rampant violence, deadly natural disasters, and a resurgence of cholera.
“Haiti’s hunger crisis is unseen, unheard, and unaddressed. Violence and climate shocks capture the headlines, but we don’t hear as much about the 4.9 million Haitians struggling to eat day-to-day,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “Per capita, the proportion of Haitians facing emergency-level food insecurity is the second highest in the world – we cannot abandon them.”
“Humanitarian needs are even greater today than after the devastating 2010 earthquake, but with far less resources to respond,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “I have seen and heard how Haitian children and families are overcoming insurmountable challenges, and they are not giving up. In the country’s hour of most profound need, neither should the international community.”
Overall, 5.2 million people require urgent humanitarian support, including nearly 3 million children. Some 4.9 million people are struggling to feed themselves, and over 115,000 children below five years old are projected to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition this year, a 30 per cent spike since last year. The healthcare system is near collapse, schools have been attacked by armed groups and civilians are being terrorized and deprived of livelihoods. In the capital’s most dangerous neighbourhoods, women and children are suffering staggering levels of sexual violence. Deadly floods and an earthquake in June were stark reminders of Haiti’s vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.
Russell and McCain held talks with Prime Minister Ariel Henry and other government officials and visited a UNICEF and WFP-supported school.
In the city of Jérémie, McCain met farmers and food processors who provide Haitian-grown food for schools and interacted with people who receive monthly cash-based transfers under a social safety net programme. She also visited a food preparation centre in Port-au-Prince, where WFP and its partner provide hot meals which are transported daily to schools in areas affected by armed violence in Cité Soleil.
Russell, who was recently named Principal Advocate for Haiti for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a collective body of senior humanitarian leaders, visited a site for families displaced from their homes due to the violence, where UNICEF supports a mobile health clinic. She also spoke privately to children and women survivors of sexual violence perpetrated by the armed groups, and a nutrition centre where severely wasted children receive life-saving therapeutic care with UNICEF support.
Despite the magnitude of needs, only 23 percent of the US$720 million required for the 2023 UN response has been funded. WFP needs US$330 million to reach its goal of assisting 2.3 million people in 2023, while UNICEF is appealing for US$246 million to reach 1.7 million children this year.
Russell and McCain called for timely and flexible funding that can quickly be directed to where needs are the most urgent.
“Haiti will never be at peace when almost half the population is hungry. With peace comes the hope for a good plate of food on the table and a better future,” the WFP Executive Director said. “We cannot wait for Haitians to die from hunger before acting, we need to fund the future of Haiti, today.”
Russell underscored the urgency of a more robust humanitarian response for those in most urgent need, the restoration of basic services and longer-term development solutions. The private and public sectors and International Financial Institutions must step up their support to Haiti with a renewed sense of urgency, she said.
“People in Haiti are in perpetual survival mode, with no safety net whatsoever,” said Russell. “The international community can help put in place the basic requirements Haitian families tell us they need such as health, education, social and protection services. Above all, what they told me is that they desperately need an end to the violence and insecurity.”
NOTE TO EDITORS:
UNICEF RESPONSE:
UNICEF and partners intend to reach all 115,000 children projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year with life-saving treatment. UNICEF is the sole provider of the ready-to-use therapeutic food, which is procured from a local supplier. We work with the Ministry of Health to strengthen supply chain systems, and with communities to strengthen the first line of defence from malnutrition – the mothers and community health workers who are best placed to screen children and refer those in need of treatment. In areas where access is a challenge, we are sending in mobile clinics to deliver an integrated package of health and nutrition services.
UNICEF and partners have reached tens of thousands of children and families with healthcare, safe water, sanitation, and education support. We are working to help keep systems afloat, including by retaining newly graduated teachers and community healthcare workers to strengthen systems that children rely on. Our work is focused specifically on reaching the most vulnerable – and often the hardest to reach, children and families.
WFP RESPONSE:
WFP’s focus remains on supporting the Haitian food economy by buying directly from farmers and through large-scale cash transfers, which stimulates local markets and empowers people to make their own purchasing decisions. Meanwhile, WFP continues to deliver of life-saving food to the most vulnerable people, especially in areas of extreme violence.
So far this year, WFP has assisted 1.4 million people in Haiti with over US$31 million in cash-based transfers and more than 5.5 MT of food commodities. Over 217,000 hot meals have been distributed in IDP sites, cholera treatment centres and at border crossings. WFP’s school meal programme provides 450,000 children with hot school meals. Nearly half of all food purchased for school meals is grown in Haiti.
Principal Advocate on Haiti for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee
UNICEF Executive Director Russell is the Principal Advocate on Haiti for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a collective body of senior humanitarian leaders. As Principal Advocate for Haiti at the request of the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, Russell will help lead the international humanitarian community’s effort to galvanize attention, support and resources at a moment of unprecedented need in the country. She will be engaging with Haitian civil society, government and international partners to help expand access for safe, dignified, and predictable humanitarian assistance and protection for children and their families and create a pathway for new solutions.
CONTACT
For more information please contact
Tanya Birkbeck, WFP/ Haiti, Tel. +509 3735 4333
George Fominyen, WFP/ Rome, Mob. +39 3499336721
Shaza Moghraby, WFP/New York, Mob. + 1 929 289 9867
Steve Taravella, WFP/ Washington, Mob. +1 202 770 5993
Gessika Thomas, UNICEF/ Haiti, Tel: +509 37 51 2825, gethomas@unicef.org
Marixie Mercado, UNICEF/ Geneva, Tel: +41 79 559 7172, mmercado@unicef.org
Ricardo Pires, UNICEF/ New York, Tel: +1 917 631 1226, rpires@unicef.org
This article first appeared in WFP.
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Story
19 June 2023
Haiti: ‘Take urgent action now’ urges ECOSOC President
Words are not enough to alleviate the multiple crises afflicting Haiti, said the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Friday, in an appeal for urgent international action.
Lachezara Stoeva was addressing a special crisis meeting on Haiti organized by ECOSOC to address the country’s urgent food security needs and noted that the humanitarian response plan for this year is only 22.6 per cent funded.
Wake-up call
“This plan targets 3.2 million Haitian people whereas around 5.2 million Haitian people are in need. This should be our wake-up call”, she told the group of Prime Ministers, UN aid chiefs, civil society and other stakeholders gathered at UN Headquarters in New York.
During the high-level meeting, both the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced they would be travelling to Haiti in the next few days to highlight the depth of the crisis there.
The recent earthquake, flooding and landslides, have exacerbated political and economic turmoil combined with rampant insecurity and violence perpetrated by armed gangs – all of which has triggered a food and health crisis for millions.
“We must learn the lessons of our past efforts in Haiti. A whole-of-society approach that engages the Haitian people would be key to building resilient food systems”, she said, calling for bold thinking combined with immediate action.
‘Alarming’ descent
Bob Rae, Chair of the ECOSOC Advisory Group on Haiti said the crisis was continuing to deteriorate “at an alarming rate.”
Humanitarian needs have doubled in the last year. Now 1.8 million Haitians are facing emergency levels of food insecurity and nearly five million do not have enough to eat. “This represents half of the country’s population”, he added.
UNICEF delivering: Russell
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell warned that the country was “on the precipice of catastrophe.”
She reminded the meeting the agency had worked in Haiti for decades and remained deeply committed to supporting all children there.
“Alongside our partners, we are engaging with community leaders and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian workers and supplies”, she said.
“We are also expanding our response in health, nutrition, protection, education, water, sanitation and hygiene. So far this year, we have screened more than 243,000 children under five for wasting, helped nearly 70,000 women and children access healthcare, provided more over 417,000 people with safe water and reached 30,000 children with learning materials.”
Action is now long overdue, she said, announcing her intention to go to Haiti “in the coming days” to assess the collective response and “reiterate UNICEF’s commitment to helping the Haitian people.”
Investments and action are sorely needed for Haiti, she said.
“Let’s work together to make sure this happens. Together we can join with the Haitian people to break through the cycle of crises and begin building towards a more peaceful and hopeful future.”
Welcome focus on ‘forgotten crisis’: McCain
WFP chief Cindy McCain, said she would be on the ground next week, “so I welcome your focus on this forgotten crisis.”
The situation is dire and getting worse every day, she added.
“Hunger has reached record levels. 4.9 million people – almost half of the population – are acutely food insecure. This includes 1.8 million people who are at serious risk of starvation.”
She said that “a coordinated and well-funded humanitarian response must be part of the broader strategy to restore security and political stability in Haiti.”
Despite the challenges, WFP has stayed and delivered, with support for 1.8 million people and the aim of reaching 2.3 million through this year, having already supported 1.4 million with lifesaving food and livelihood support so far.
“But we urgently need the support of the international community. Without additional funds, we will not be able to reach all those we are targeting for help”, Ms. McCain stressed.
“Ladies and gentlemen: we must act now, and work together to get food and cash transfers to the millions of people who are relying on us. Together we can make a difference - and help the people of Haiti rebuild their shattered lives.”
Build local food resilience
The UN’s Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, told the special meeting that the UN was working hand-in-hand with the Government, together with local and international partners, to make food systems more resilient.
This includes a recent national policy and strategy for food security and independence, and it must not be forgotten how the impact of climate change and climate risks are jeopardizing food supplies.
The UN in Haiti is promoting local production and boosting local farming, through measures such as basing school food programmes on locally produced crops. By 2030, she said all food programmes should be entirely locally sourced.
“Addressing root causes of instability and restoring social and economic wellbeing in Haiti can be achieved through promoting food sovereignty, recalibrating agrifood policies, fostering stakeholder consensus and leveraging international support.”
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Story
06 June 2023
Haiti: UN deeply saddened as latest earthquake kills three, in wake of floods
The UN expressed deep sadness as another deadly earthquake claimed the lives of at least three people near the Haitian city of Jerémie in the early hours of Tuesday, compounding an already life-threatening situation in recent days caused by flooding and landslides.
The 5.5 magnitude quake struck in the department of Grand’Anse, following torrential rains which have displaced more than 13,000 people.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of life, destruction of property and suffering of the Haitian people caused by the earthquake”, said UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric. “The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to all those injured.”
More aid en route
He said the UN stood ready to work with the Haitian authorities and other partners, to help ease the suffering of those impacted by this latest natural disaster.
On Monday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said that it was already providing immediate assistance to those affected by the massive rainfall over the weekend, providing hot meals to those displaced, and mobilizing ready-to-eat rations and dry food.
Mr. Dujarric said that Grand’ Anse was among the areas impacted by the rains, prior to the earthquake.
According to news reports, Tuesday’s quake was the second to strike the area in just two days, with a 4.4 magnitude tremor registered on Sunday morning.
In August 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the same southern peninsula region, leaving hundreds dead.
Resources for flood victims
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, is working with UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, WFP and the International Organization for Migration, IOM, to support communities around the capital Port-au-Prince that were hardest hit by the floods and landslides, he added.
WFP is ready to distribute some 350,000 hot meals and other food assistance overall, to those who need it the most, he confirmed.
“Our colleagues say that ongoing insecurity and damage to roads are obviously hampering any relief efforts.”
According to UN humanitarians, the floods and landslides affected seven of Haiti’s 10 departments, and authorities say at least 51 people have been killed, 140 others injured and 18 are still missing. In the affected areas, nearly 32,000 homes were flooded.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Story
10 May 2023
Haiti: International support needed now to stop spiralling gang violence
Haiti needs “urgent” support from the international community to stop the suffering of people at the hands of violent gangs who have been shooting people at random and burning them alive, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned on Tuesday.
In the month of April alone, more than 600 people were killed in violence in the country’s capital, according to information gathered by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). This follows the killing of at least 846 people in the first three months of 2023.
BINUH said that overall, the number of victims of killings, injuries and kidnappings increased by 28 per cent in the first quarter of the year, with a total of 1,634 cases reported.
Rise in vigilantism
Mob killings and lynchings of alleged gang members are also on the rise, as “vigilantes take the law into their own hands”, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said. At least 164 such murders were documented in April.
The latest report from OHCHR and BINUH points to the emergence of vigilante groups, “following calls by some political figures and journalists for citizens to form self-defence organizations to fight gang violence”.
Commenting on the findings, the UN rights chief stressed that vigilantism will only “fuel the spiral of violence”.
Extreme violence
The report notes that gangs use snipers on rooftops to “indiscriminately shoot people carrying out their daily activities”. In some instances, gang members burst into neighbourhoods on a killing spree, “burned people alive in public transportation vehicles” and executed “everyone perceived to be opposed to the gang”.
The report also documents the use of sexual violence, including collective rape, “to terrorize and inflict pain” on populations under the control of rival gangs.
According to a local human rights organization quoted in the report, at least 652 women and girls were “subjected to individual and collective rape in gang-controlled areas over the past year”.
Root causes of a ‘human rights emergency’
The UN rights chief underscored that poverty and the lack of basic services were among the root causes of the gangs’ stranglehold over the country.
Earlier this year, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) had warned that half the population of Haiti, or some 4.9 million people, were struggling to access food.
“The Government, with support from the international community, must do its utmost to comply with its obligation to provide people with regular and unimpeded access to clean water, food, health and shelter,” Mr. Türk said.
He said a “robust response” was needed to what he billed as a “human rights emergency”.
‘Coordinated international action’ required
Mr. Türk reiterated his call on the international community to “deploy a time-bound, specialized and human rights-compliant support force, with a comprehensive action plan to assist Haiti's institutions”.
Last month, the country was on the agenda of the Human Rights Council, which adopted a resolution calling for the appointment of an independent rights expert on Haiti.
Sponsored by Haiti itself, the resolution called for “coordinated and targeted international action”.
In line with the resolution, the duties of the new independent expert on human rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, include focusing on the situation of children and of human trafficking and providing advice and technical assistance to the Haitian Government, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations to help promote and protect human rights.
Independent rights experts appointed by the United Nations rights chief in accordance with Human Rights Council resolutions are not UN staff nor are they paid for their work.
This article first appeared in UN News.
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Press Release
14 June 2023
MEDIA ADVISORY - SAVING LIVES: ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY NEEDS OF HAITI
Special Event http://bit.ly/HaitiFreeOfHunger
Friday, 16 June 2023, 10:00am – 1:00pm
WHERE: Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York
WHAT: Nearly half of the population in Haiti doesn’t have enough to eat. In rural areas, 76 percent of people are affected by food insecurity. Restoring livelihoods is fundamental to the humanitarian response. Launched in April 2023, the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for 2023 called for an unprecedented $719 million - almost double from 2022. To date, the plan is only 20% funded. The recent floods and earthquake have shown that Haiti’s humanitarian needs remain considerable and will continue to grow as the hurricane season starts. Building on the work of ECOSOC Advisory Group on Haiti, ECOSOC will convene a special meeting to mobilize action and resources in support of food security in Haiti and to call on the international community to show solidarity with the Haitian people and contribute to the funding appeals.
WHO:
Opening will include:
· President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, H.E. Lachezara Stoeva
· Prime Minister of Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines and Chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), H.E. Ralph Gonsalves
· Prime Minister of Jamaica, H.E. Andrew Holness
· Minister of Planning and External Cooperation of Haiti, H.E. Ricard Pierre
· Chair of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, H.E. Bob Rae
· Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ms. Cindy H. McCain
· Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Catherine Russell
Followed by a roundtable:
· Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, H.E. Claver Gatete (moderator)
· Vice Minister of Bilateral Affairs of the Dominican Republic, H.E. José Julio Gómez
· Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Ms. Ulrika Richardson
· Ms. Edem Wosornu, Director, Operations and Advocacy Division, OCHA
· Mr. Guangzhou Qu, Director, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office with the United Nations
· Ms. Patrizia Tumbarello, Mission Chief for Haiti, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
· Mr. Laurent Msellati, Country Manager for Haiti, World Bank Group
· Mr. William O’Neill, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti For a full programme, please visit http://bit.ly/HaitiFreeOfHunger
WEBCAST: The event will be streamed live on https://media.un.org
HASHTAG: #HaitiCantWait
ACCESS: The event is open to all UN accredited media.
MEDIA CONTACT: Paul Simon, Office for Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs E: simonp@un.org
T: +1 917 367 5027 | M: +1 347 267 5618
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Press Release
20 April 2023
The United Nations system and the Government of Haiti sign a Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development
Port-au-Prince, Haiti.- The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, and the Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, Mr. Ricard Pierre, signed today, the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development for the period 2023-2027. This new Framework Plan outlines a common vision and strategy for achieving sustainable development over the next five years. It represents a major step in the partnership between the United Nations and the Government of Haiti.
This joint strategy comes at a time when the country is facing the consequences of successive economic recessions, with an unprecedented level of insecurity due to gang violence and more than 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. Every day, more and more people are falling into extreme poverty.
This new Cooperation Framework sets out a comprehensive and integrated approach for the long term. It focuses on five priority areas, which were defined through a consultative process with national, public and private partners, as well as academia and civil society
It is a joint roadmap, aligned with national priorities and strategies, and designed to improve the coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of UN support to the Government. Priority areas of work include governance, security and rule of law, inclusive economic transformation, social services and the environment. A results-based management framework will make it possible to monitor progress and measure the impact of interventions and investments.
In her remarks, Ulrika Richardson stressed that the signing of the document marks a new milestone in the common story between Haiti and the United Nations. While commending the Government for its commitment to sustainable development, and for its collaboration with the UN, she also affirmed the UN's commitment to strengthening common approaches based on mutual support between peace, security and sustainable development.
The signing of the Cooperation Framework coincides with the launch of a humanitarian response plan for Haiti in 2023, launched yesterday, April 19, by the United Nations and estimated at $720 million. The response plan calls for helping 3.2 million people facing gang violence, hunger and cholera, among other things. "As the situation in the country rapidly deteriorates, the plan will address the most immediate humanitarian and protection needs," said Ulrika Richardson. Adding, "The Haitian people desperately want peace and security, and we should all support efforts to achieve this."
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Press Release
13 December 2022
Haiti receives first shipment of cholera vaccines
The vaccine (Euvichol) was provided by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (IGC), which manages the global cholera vaccine stockpile, following a request by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP, its acronym in French).
Haiti’s vaccination campaign is set to start in the next days, initially targeting populations over the age of one year in Cite Soleil, Delmas, Tabarre, Carrefour and Port-au-Prince in the Ouest Department and Mirebalais in the Centre Department – areas in which most of the cholera cases have been reported, to date.
“Haiti has experience in managing cholera, but the fragile security situation has slowed down response efforts, so the arrival of these vaccines is most welcome,” PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne said. “PAHO has been working with Haiti since the resurgence of cholera and will continue to support the national authorities to quickly distribute vaccines, monitor cases and provide life-saving care.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of the oral vaccine in combination with other measures – particularly water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions – to prevent the spread of the water-borne disease.
PAHO is providing technical and financial assistance to the MSPP to implement the vaccination campaign, including training of health workers, guidance to identify priority communities and potential barriers, deployment of record management tools and risk communication and community engagement activities to encourage vaccine uptake.
“The arrival of oral vaccines in Haiti is a step in the right direction,” MSPP Director General Lauré Adrien said. “We are integrating this tool into our national strategy, which includes surveillance, water and sanitation interventions, social mobilization, and treatment.”
“We hope this first shipment will be followed by others so that the vaccine is available to all populations at risk in Haiti,” Adrien added. An additional batch of around 500,000 doses is expected to arrive in Haiti in the coming weeks.
Cholera has spread geographically within Haiti in the past weeks. As of today, the National Department of Epidemiology, Laboratories, and Research (DELR) reports 1,220 confirmed cases and over 280 deaths due to cholera in eight departments, with over 14,100 suspected cases spread across all 10 departments in the country.
“PAHO has been working closely with the MSPP to scale up critical operations to treat and prevent cholera,” said Maureen Birmingham, PAHO/WHO Representative in Haiti. “Vaccination is one additional strategy to help slow down transmission,” she added.
PAHO has so far provided over 49 tons of essential medical supplies to support Cholera Treatment Centers set up by national authorities and partners in the most affected areas. Materials include oral rehydration salts, Ringer’s Lactate solution and infusion sets, cholera beds, as well as non-medical supplies such as fuel to support operations and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies.
PAHO is also assisting the Government in setting up rapid response teams throughout the country to follow-up on alerts, raise awareness about preventive measures within communities, and address WASH issues.
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Press Release
08 December 2022
Haiti: UNICEF needs US$210 million to bring humanitarian aid to 2.7 million people next year
PORT-AU-PRINCE / PANAMA CITY, 7 December 2022 - UNICEF is requesting US$210.3 million to meet the needs of 2.7 million people in Haiti, including 1.6 million children in 2023. The upsurge in violence and social unrest, the resurgence of cholera and the residual needs of the most vulnerable earthquake-affected population have led to an increase in humanitarian needs and funding requirements compared with 2022.
“When a mother sees her malnourished child suffer from cholera, have diarrhoea, vomit, further lose weight and is on the brink of dying, and she cannot take them to the hospital because of insecurity, it’s sad. In Haiti, one in two children has not resumed going to school again, and risk falling in the trap of gangs, and due to violence, health workers or teachers cannot freely report to work, further obstructing women and children’s access to health, nutrition, education, and sanitation services,” said Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative in Haiti.
After more than 3 years without any cases of cholera reported, Haiti declared on 2 October the resurgence of the disease. As of 5 December, the country passed the milestone of first 1,000 confirmed cholera cases. The Ministry of health reported more than 1,100 confirmed cases with over 13,400 suspected cases and 281 deaths. Nearly 50 per cent of confirmed cases are among children under 15 years old.
The cholera outbreak is layered over gang-related violence and major social unrest that erupted across the country. At the same time, severe fuel shortages restricted utilities and the delivery of basic services, including water and health care. In some areas, insecurity prevents patients to access medical facilities and health personnel to report to work, heavily impacting the response to the cholera outbreak, including data collection and transportation of test samples and results.
Violent protests that had been building since mid-2021 due to gang violence and the killing of the President have directly affected access to health services for at least 1.5 million people, while more than 4 million children continue experiencing malnutrition and poor access to basic services. At least 96,000 people are internally displaced in Haiti due to gang violence and civil unrest, with unaccompanied children exposed to abuse, exploitation and violence.
A nutrition assessment in Cité Soleil, an impoverished neighbourhood in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, revealed that one in five children under the age of five suffers from acute malnutrition, while 4.7 million people in Haiti are facing acute hunger.
Tremendous efforts are made by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP), but 47 per cent of schools have not yet opened. In 2022, three in five schools assessed by UNICEF and MENFP have been attacked or pillaged, leaving half a million children aged 5-19 years at risk of losing learning opportunities.
In 2023, UNICEF will provide life-saving goods and services to children and vulnerable populations in the context of insecurity, health and social and economic crises in Haiti, provided that sufficient and timely funding of US$210.3 million requested is received.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children, visit https://www.unicef.org/Haiti.
For more information, please contact:
Ndiaga Seck, UNICEF Haiti, +509 37 44 61 99, nseck@unicef.org
Laurent Duvillier, UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, + 507 6169 9886, lduvillier@unicef.org
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Press Release
30 November 2022
Address inequalities to achieve the end of the AIDS pandemic in Haiti
Speaking ahead of World AIDS Day 2022, commemorated around the world annually on 1 December, Ulrika Richardson, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator said: “The inequalities which perpetuate the AIDS pandemic are not inevitable; we can tackle them. Ultimately, the end of AIDS can only be achieved if we address social and economic injustices.”
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people to come together to show solidarity towards people living with and affected by HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS, and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS.
The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Equalize”, a call to action to maintain financial support to the response and to prioritize the health and well-being of all people, especially vulnerable populations that are most affected by HIV-related inequalities.
Analysis presented in the latest UNAIDS report, “Dangerous Inequalities”, shows that inequalities, are hindering progress towards meeting meet globally agreed targets to end AIDS.
In Haiti, the 1 December commemoration is being led by the Ministry of Public Health and Population and accompanied by UNAIDS as well as national and international partners. The event focuses on the need to further adapt the national response to the unmet needs of key populations, in particular the LGBTQI community, including the elimination of persistent and viscous stigma and discrimination.
Gender inequalities are significantly contributing to the AIDS pandemic in Haiti. Women and girls have a higher prevalence of HIV (2.2 per cent) compared to men (1.4 per cent). The increased vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence also perpetuated by gangs especially throughout the capital Port-au-Prince in 2022, needs to be urgently addressed as part of the response.
“Mitigating the risks and impact of HIV requires continued efforts for a community response with women and girls, men and boys, in all their diversity, who practice equitable social norms and gender equality and work to end gender-based violence...Let's Push for Equality”, said Dr. Christian Mouala, UNAIDS Country Director.
NOTE TO EDITORS: In close collaboration with the National Programme on HIV/AIDS (PNLS), the United Nations Joint Programme of HIV/AIDS in Haiti is supporting the national response, complementing activities implemented via GFATM and PEPFAR investments and working towards internationally agreed targets encapsulated in the 2021-2026 Global AIDS Strategy.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is a joint venture of the United Nations family which brings together the efforts and resources of 11 UN system organizations to unite the world against AIDS. The participating organizations that form UNAIDS, also called the UNAIDS Cosponsors, are: ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNODC, UN Women, WHO, World Bank, World Food Programme.
For more information contact:
Daniel Dickinson, Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator dickinsond@un.org
Paola Solda, UNAIDS Country Office Haiti soldap@unaids.org
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