Press Release

The United Nations and their humanitarian partners are providing lifesaving assistance to thousands of Haitians affected by armed violence.

18 November 2024

Port-au-Prince, 18 November 2024 – Despite escalating armed violence, the United Nations and its national and international humanitarian partners are relentlessly pursuing their efforts to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most. Since 11 November, a surge in attacks in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area has led to the displacement of nearly 20,000 more people. This situation is compounded by a context of extreme vulnerability where half of the Haitian population is in a situation of severe food insecurity and more than 700,000 people are internally displaced , half of whom are children.

“Despite the temporary suspension of air transport, humanitarian operations continue actively in the Port-au-Prince area, although security conditions are unpredictable. In addition, humanitarian and recovery activities continue uninterrupted in the rest of the country,” said Ulrika Richardson, Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti.

Since 11 November, UNICEF has provided cash transfers to nearly 1,500 displaced people in sites in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and distributed 5,000 hygiene kits to more than 24,000 people. UNFPA and IOM continue to deploy their mobile clinics in IDP sites. IOM is also providing water to six IDP sites. On 17 November, WFP provided hot meals to nearly 38,000 displaced people in 26 sites in Port-au-Prince and Arcahaie, the highest number in a single day.

PAHO/WHO continues to support the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) with the distribution of medicines and medical supplies to major health facilities.

Across the country, WFP is also feeding 430,000 children daily in 2,000 schools, while IOM and its partners are responding to the growing population of forced returnees, including support for more than 35,000 people who have been forcibly returned since 1 October. In Grande Anse and Nippes, FAO is supporting farmers with the distribution of short-cycle vegetable seed kits, tools and compost. In Saint Marc in Artibonite, 4,217 children are benefiting from child-friendly spaces set up by UNICEF.

“To keep our operations running at scale, additional financial resources are urgently needed or we risk having to make impossible choices to save lives,” adds Ulrika Richardson.

The US $674 million Humanitarian Response Plan, which aims to provide multi-sectoral assistance to 3.6 million people, is only 43% funded.

The United Nations remains fully engaged in the humanitarian response, working with authorities and local actors to ensure rapid and effective assistance despite security challenges.

For further information, please call:

Claire Emmanuelle Pressoir, Communications Officer, claire.pressoir@un.org +50939028851 HTTPS://ReliefWeb.in/country/hti/

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.

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