Attachments
Project HOPE continues to provide urgent health and humanitarian assistance to communities affected by violence, mass displacement, and the complex humanitarian crisis in the Grand Sud region of Haiti.
Key Highlights
• Recent gang violence in Pont-Sonde has displaced 6,200 survivors, who have since sought refuge in Saint-Marc and surrounding areas.
• According to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office, 3,661 people died from gang-related violence from January to October 2024.
• Port access in Port-au-Prince is very limited, restricting humanitarian access.
• MAERSK, one of the world’s largest shipping container lines, announced the suspension of bookings to Haiti on September 26.
• The Dominican Republic is expecting 130,000 displaced individuals to arrive at the border by the end of the year.
• Project HOPE continues to respond with integrated health, protection and WASH services in Grand Sud, reaching over 110,000 people in 2024, to date.
Situation Overview
On September 30, 2024, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to extend the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti for another year. Kenya, Jamacia, and Belize have deployed MSS police officers in Haiti.
A report from Human Rights Watch has found that armed gangs in Haiti are stepping up efforts to recruit children into their ranks ahead of an anticipated long and bloody battle with international security forces and Haitian police. Children now form up to 30% of Haitian gang members, according to the report. Children experiencing poverty are reported to be enticed by gangs with offers of food and shelter in exchange for undertaking illegal activities or being exploited for sex.
In October, humanitarian access became restricted in some areas after a helicopter was struck by gunfire and the National Highway Two (RN2) remained blocked. Gangs have either entirely blocked off prominent roads or have begun requiring payment to pass. Project HOPE’s team was temporarily cut off from accessing the Les Cayes base as armed men blocked National Highway Number Seven (RN7).
As violence continues, more Haitians are becoming displaced and seeking refuge in different departments. In the past six months, Project HOPE has observed a significant increase in the amount of internally displaced people (IDPs) in service areas. According to the International Organization of Migration (IOM), there were 702,973 IDPs in Haiti in September 2024. Additionally, the escalating and ongoing violence in the Ouest department continues to increase the number of IDPS fleeing the region. According to ACAPS, there has been a 60% increase in the number of IDPs in 2024, increasing from 362,000 to 702,973 between March and September. Nearly half of those IDPs (315,200) have sought refuge in the Grand Sud region, where Project HOPE currently operates. The Sud department received more than 116,000 IDPs by the end of September, a figure only surpassed by the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.