UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Wednesday mentioned that armed violence and rising insecurity proceed to show youngsters to sexual violence and different extreme safety dangers in Haiti.
“And as you’ll be able to think about, displaced girls and boys are particularly weak on this present surroundings in Haiti,” mentioned Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-Common, Antonio Guterres.
He informed the each day UN briefing that the Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM) estimates that greater than half of all internally displaced individuals in Haiti are youngsters.
“One in eight youngsters in Haiti is displaced. That’s exposing them to exploitation, it’s exposing them to abuse, and it’s exposing them to potential recruitment into armed gangs. As now we have talked about previously, our colleagues estimate that about half of all gang members are youngsters,” he added.
The United Nations Kids’s Fund (UNICEF) has documented a staggering 1,000 p.c rise in sexual violence in opposition to youngsters between 2023 and 2024.
In an announcement launched at present, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, expressed her deep misery on the stunning loss of life of a six-year-old lady after she was brutally raped in a displacement web site in Cité Soleil, in Port-au-Prince.
“This occurred firstly of the month, and Ms. Richardson mentioned it’s a stark reminder of the acute risks confronted by youngsters residing in extremely precarious circumstances. No youngster ought to ever endure such violence,” mentioned Dujarric, including, “Our humanitarian companions have intensified efforts to assist survivors of sexual violence throughout impacted areas.”
He mentioned greater than 6,200 individuals, together with many ladies and ladies, obtained psychosocial assist between January and March of this 12 months. Cellular well being clinics reached greater than 670 individuals, and our companions additionally distributed over 745 dignity kits.
“Our companions are implementing authorized, medical, and socio-economic reintegration providers for sexual violence survivors within the areas in Haiti of Ouest, Artibonite, Nord-Est, and Grande’Anse departments.”
Dujarric mentioned speedy priorities embody increasing entry to safety and psychosocial assist for survivors, growing security in displacement websites, making a secure area for girls and ladies, and enhancing prevention, case administration, and reporting mechanisms for gender-based violence.
He mentioned extreme underfunding continues to hamper response efforts. Lower than US$$600,000, which is simply 5 p.c of the greater than US$11 million required to assist gender-based violence survivors, has been obtained up to now, limiting “the capability of our humanitarian companions to maintain and increase very important providers, particularly in high-risk areas of the nation.
“OCHA continues to work carefully with nationwide authorities, UN companies, and humanitarian organizations to assist efforts to guard youngsters throughout Haiti and to make sure that, even in essentially the most tough circumstances, the best to security, the best to dignity stays on the heart of our humanitarian response,” Dujarric mentioned.
