The number of internally displaced children in Haiti has surged by nearly 50% since September, now accounting for roughly one in eight children nationwide, according to UNICEF.
Ongoing violence driven by armed groups has left over one million people displaced, with children comprising more than half of this population, many in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
“It is a horrific time to be a child in Haiti, with violence upending lives and forcing more children and families from their homes,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Children desperately need safety, protection, and access to essential services. We cannot look away.”
Years of political instability, poverty, and inequality have bolstered the growth of armed groups in Haiti, forcing children into their ranks. The recruitment of children by these groups has risen by 70% over the past year, with children reportedly making up half of their membership. UNICEF has condemned this practice as a grave violation of children’s rights and international law.
Displaced children face escalating risks of violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse, which have increased by 1,000% in the past year. Access to essential services—such as education, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare—remains severely disrupted, exacerbating malnutrition and exposing children to diseases like cholera. The nation has reported nearly 88,000 suspected cholera cases, with children disproportionately affected.
Humanitarian crisis in Haiti
UNICEF estimates that approximately 3 million children require humanitarian assistance in Haiti, with over 1.2 million under direct threat in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Recent attempted sieges in residential areas have worsened the crisis, displacing approximately 40,000 people in just two weeks by December.
The worsening living conditions in displacement sites, coupled with inadequate sanitation, have left nearly 6,000 people in famine-like conditions and heightened children’s vulnerability to disease and violence.
UNICEF has urged all parties to end violence and cease the recruitment and exploitation of children. The organization also calls for unhindered access for humanitarian workers to reach vulnerable populations.
“Children in Haiti are bearing the brunt of a crisis they did not create. They rely on the Haitian Government and international community to take urgent action to protect their lives and safeguard their futures,” Russell emphasized.
The humanitarian situation in Haiti demands immediate intervention to ensure the safety and well-being of the country’s most vulnerable population: its children.
