UN ECOSOC Special Meeting Highlights Urgent Assessment of Needs in Haiti – Global Issues
UNITED NATIONS, December 03 (IPS) – Due to the ongoing conflicts of gang violence in Haiti, children continue to bear the brunt of this humanitarian crisis. Armed gangs have committed various human rights violations, many of which are problems including food insecurity, displacement, and social instability for millions of children in Haiti. Children have also lost their education and continue to be recruited into gangs. It is important for the international community to prioritize the problem facing the children of Haiti in order to avoid the loss of an entire generation due to violence.
According to the latest figures from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 1.3 million children have been victims of gang violence during this crisis. More than 700,000 people have been displaced, and more than 50 percent of those people are children. These numbers are predicted to rise in recent weeks due to the increase in violence in and around the capital Port-Au-Prince.
On December 2, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held a special meeting at the UN Headquarters to discuss the depth of social insecurity in Haiti and how children have been hit hard. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell addressed the council to emphasize the urgency of the current situation.
“Armed groups often abuse children’s rights, including killing and maiming. “So far this year, we’ve seen a 1,000-fold increase in reported cases of child sexual abuse,” said Russell.
Due to the rapidity of the violence, especially in the capital, the access of thousands of children to education has been severely disrupted. According to Russell, more than 1.5 million children have lost access to education. Additionally, armed groups are actively recruiting children for use in gang activities. Current estimates show that 50 percent of all gang members in Haiti are children, reflecting a 70 percent increase in child recruitment over the past year. These children are used as cooks, informers and sex slaves, many are forced to commit acts of violence themselves.
María Isabel Salvador, Head of the United Nations Coordination Office in Haiti (BINUH) adds, “Across Haiti, gang violence has turned schools into battlefields, disrupted health care, and left thousands of children malnourished and traumatized. Alarmingly, children are increasingly being recruited into gangs, robbing them of their innocence and turning them into instruments of violence.”
Across Haiti, approximately 5.5 million people, including 3 million children, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. According to the latest statement issued by the World Food Program (WFP), more than 700,000 people, including 365,000 children, are internally displaced and living in shelters. Additional data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) suggest that one in two Haitians do not have enough food, with nearly two million people facing hunger emergencies. At least 6,000 internally displaced Haitians are facing extreme hunger, the worst kind.
“Food security and nutritional status continue to be a challenge. The highest levels (of hunger) were reported this year, with a record level of 5.4 million people without access to solid food, which is almost half of Haiti’s population. Half of that number are children. 125,000 children are severely malnourished,” said Wanja Kaaria, WFP representative.
Additionally, the collapse of health care and sanitation systems continues to put the health of children and families in Haiti at greater risk. This has opened the way for the spread of diseases and infectious diseases, cholera being a major problem.
According to a statement by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), it is estimated that “there are 87,616 suspected cases, 4,858 confirmed cases, 85,071 hospitalizations, 1005 deaths in institutions and 314 community deaths.” Many of these situations are caused by the scarcity of clean water, the failure of water systems damaged by ongoing conflicts, and the health care system that is overburdened by the influx of injured people.
Haitians continue to face medical emergencies and deaths caused by gang violence, and limited access to health care. Since the outbreak of violence in Port-Au-Prince on November 11, medical facilities have been overwhelmed by the overwhelming demand. According to PAHO, the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the capital has created great difficulties in accessing medical services for patients with chronic diseases and pregnant women, leading to an increase in medical emergencies and complications.
“Hundreds of thousands of children and families living in besieged communities are largely without humanitarian aid,” Russell said at a recent ECOSOC conference. This is largely due to the persistence of access challenges caused by social insecurity. Despite these problems, the United Nations is at the forefront of the crisis, distributing vital resources to affected communities.
As conditions continue to deteriorate, it is urgent that aid responses are increased. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is currently only 43 percent funded. The UN is urging member states and donors to contribute to meet the growing needs.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
