(DailyDig.com) – According to the United Nations (UN), Haiti’s gang violence between the National Police and other gangs has uprooted almost 580,000 people from their homes this year alone. Most of these people are women and children who fear the alarming, growing violence, especially in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
On June 20, human rights officials from the UN stated that the violence in Haiti stems from the criminal activities of various gangs clashing with each other. This creates an environment of anxiety and alarm, which causes residents to restrict their travel outside their homes and prevents them from accessing everyday services for survival.
The beginning of the accelerated violence started in February of this year, when gangs attacked key governmental buildings and infrastructure. The attacks led Ariel Henry, then Prime Minister, to resign his post in April.
The executive director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, released a statement saying the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that is happening in Haiti is causing devastation for the Haitian children. They seriously need protection; a safe environment to survive. People in communities around the world need to increase their funding to provide this protection.
Gangs control nearly 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, along with all routes to and from the city. The UN reports that over 2,500 people lost their lives in Haiti in the first quarter of 2024.
The plight of Haiti’s children is critical, as many have been forced to join gangs in order to survive. Buildings transformed into shelters house many of the displaced children in unsafe conditions and with poor hygiene. Their access to basic needs, such as clean water, health care, food, and sanitation, puts children at a high risk of developing diseases.
Children that are separated from their families are also exposed to possible risks of assault, abuse, and exploitation, according to UNICEF.
On July 1, Jonathan Finer, US National Security Adviser, met with Garry Conille, Haiti’s Prime Minister, in order to discuss a mission from the UN to Haiti.
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