In a stark revelation, the United Nations reported that gang violence in Haiti has displaced more than 1 million people in 2024. This marks a threefold increase from the previous year's displacement figures, which stood at 315,000 in December 2023.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti's bustling capital, has been the epicenter of this turmoil. The surge in violence, coupled with the collapse of essential services like healthcare and worsening food security, has led to an 87 percent rise in displacement within the city.
Many of those displaced are children, forced to move multiple times as they seek safety. The majority hail from the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, with numerous families relocating to Haiti's provinces in search of refuge.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 83 percent of the displaced rely on already overstretched host communities, including friends and family, for shelter. The remaining 17 percent struggle to find space in spontaneous sites, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Compounding the situation, 200,000 Haitians were deported back to the country last year, placing further strain on Haiti's overwhelmed social services. Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasized the gravity of deporting individuals back to a nation grappling with rampant violence and nearly non-existent basic services.
Natural disasters have also taken their toll, with floods in November and December 2024 affecting over 315,000 people nationwide. IOM Director General Amy Pope stressed the urgent need for sustained humanitarian assistance to address the root causes of the violence and instability.
While international efforts continue, including the World Food Program's assistance to 1.7 million people and IOM's provision of clean water to uprooted families, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the dire need for an additional $900 million in 2025 to support 4 million people in Haiti.
The international community faces a critical juncture in responding to Haiti's escalating humanitarian crisis, with calls for comprehensive strategies to restore stability and protect vulnerable populations.
Reference(s):
UN: Gang violence left 1 million people displaced in 2024 in Haiti
cgtn.com
