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Haiti + 1 more

UNHCR appeals for US$12,500,000 to support Haiti's displaced

This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today's Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. Further information can be found on the UNHCR websites, www.unhcr.org and www.unhcr.fr, which should also be checked for regular media updates on non-briefing days.

UNHCR is appealing for US$12,500,000 to help people living outside of formal camps in Haiti and those who have fled to neighbouring Dominican Republic.

To date, UNHCR has been actively supporting the established protection and camp management programmes, sending emergency team members specializing in protection, logistics, registration and profiling to assist with the humanitarian effort. Shelter material was rapidly dispatched to support around 100,000 beneficiaries. In neighbouring Dominican Republic UNHCR was asked to lead the protection response, deploying an emergency team to work with the Dominican authorities to help Haitians evacuated there.

UNHCR has conducted assessments to identify the needs of those displaced outside of Port-au-Prince and recognized camps. With this new appeal, UNHCR is aiming to further assist the population living outside camps, thus preventing further displacement or premature return before appropriate and safe conditions are established.

In 2010 UNHCR and its partners will aim to implement 85 quick impact projects that will target displaced people that have received a lower level of humanitarian assistance than the population living in camps and Port-au-Prince. 25 of these projects will focus on the displaced population living near the border of Dominican Republic. In addition, UNHCR will aim to support Haiti with 'non-food' provisions for 60,000 displaced people in the border region and the West, Central and Artibonite areas.

UNHCR will continue to support the return to Haiti of patients discharged from hospitals in the Dominican Republic and will assist vulnerable individuals who need to remain. In Santo Domingo, support will be given to churches, host families and shelters that are caring for discharged patients and vulnerable Haitians, including unaccompanied children, orphans, women at risk and the disabled.

UNHCR and its partners will support vulnerable third country nationals, including refugees and undocumented migrants, who were living in Haiti at the time of the earthquake and who either fled to Dominican Republic or became displaced in Haiti. In addition to short term humanitarian assistance, they will be offered counselling regarding voluntary return to their home countries or alternative durable solutions.

For further information on this topic, please contact:

In Geneva: Sybella Wilkes on mobile +41 79 557 91 38