Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Haiti

UNICEF Haiti Humanitarian Situation Report No. 11, End of Year 2024

Attachments

Highlights

  • In 2024, the humanitarian situation in Haiti continued to deteriorate, fraught with complexities and challenges. UNICEF estimates that 3 million children are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, with 1.2 million at immediate risk in Port-au-Prince alone, amidst escalating violence and grave violations. By the end of 2024, more than 1 million people, including over 550,000 children, have fled armed violence in their neighbourhoods, seeking refuge in displacement sites or host communities across the country. In the second quarter of 2024, grave violations against children were 12 times higher than the same period in 2023, driven by intensifying violence from armed and self-defense groups.
  • Nearly half of Haiti's population (48 per cent) is estimated to be experiencing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). Cholera has persisted in certain departments – notably Artibonite, Centre and pockets of the West, while malnutrition continues to be a major concern as the healthcare system remains on the brink of collapse. In December 2024, attacks on hospitals — including Bernard Mevs and l’Hôpital de l'Université d'État d'Haïti — have further destabilized the healthcare system and triggering political upheaval.
  • Despite these immense challenges, UNICEF continued to deliver a multisectoral humanitarian response throughout 2024, reaching over 970,000 people, including 470,000 children with at least one humanitarian intervention. Specifically, more than 103,000 children, parents and caregivers received mental health and psychosocial support; 401,000 people were provided with safe water and hygiene supplies; and almost 459,000 children were screened for wasting, with more than 48,000 cases of severe child wasting treated. Additionally, UNICEF provided US$ 1.9 million humanitarian cash transfers to 9,500 households in critical need and provided US$ 2 million incentive cash transfers to more than 3,000 government personnel and frontline workers (i.e. teachers, doctors, nurses etc.).
  • Against the 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal, UNICEF mobilized US$43.5 million for its humanitarian interventions. However, a 72 per cent funding gap remained, leaving many vulnerable women and children without critical lifesaving assistance.

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

In 2024, Haiti experienced a significant escalation in armed group violence and the exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis. Especially in February and November, Haiti witnessed a rapidly deteriorating security situation marked by armed group attacks, clashes between the Haitian National Police (HNP) and armed groups, as well as nationwide protests and demonstrations. In addition to the displacement crisis which affected over 1 million people, UNICEF estimates a 70 per cent increase in children recruited by armed groups between mid-2023 and mid-2024. Children are now estimated to comprise up to 50 per cent of armed group members. An estimated 5.5 million Haitians, nearly half of the population, including 3 million children, were slated to require humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024.

Furthermore, Haiti's displacement crisis has reached critical levels, with over 1 million displaced persons — equivalent to 9 per cent of the population — recorded by DTM/IOM as of December 2024. This reflects a 48 per cent increase since September 2024, and a 187 per cent increase since March 2024. Armed violence in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (ZMPP), Arcahaïe, and Artibonite remains the primary driver of displacement. Notably, displacement patterns indicate a 51 per cent rise in the capital, although 75 per cent of internally displaced persons (IDPs) remain in rural areas. Despite the expansion to 142 displacement sites, 83 per cent of IDPs rely on overstretched host families and communities, exacerbating vulnerabilities.

The humanitarian crisis is further compounded by food insecurity, with nearly half of Haiti's population (48 per cent) in acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 6,000 people facing catastrophic IPC Phase 5 conditions. Many of these areas are under armed group control, limiting humanitarian access. Malnutrition among children has also worsened, with a 19 per cent increase in cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2024, placing over 125,000 children’s lives at risk.

As of 7 December 2024, the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) reported 88,087 total suspected cholera cases, 4,870 confirmed cases, 85,509 hospitalized cases, 1,010 institutional deaths and 314 community deaths. Outbreaks have disproportionately affected displaced communities and in areas lacking clean water, sanitation and healthcare, while many health facilities have collapsed under extreme strain. In December, the destruction of Bernard Mevs Hospital and attacks on l’Hôpital de l'Université d'État d'Haïti left critical gaps in healthcare service provision, with 60 per cent of health centres in violence-affected areas now non-functional.

Children continue to bear the brunt of these overlapping crises. Grave violations against children, including recruitment by armed groups, rose twelvefold in 2024 compared to 2023. Many children are coerced through violence or lured with false promises of safety and social recognition. Schools have also become unsafe, with nearly 25 per cent of children losing access to education due to the insecurity.

Political instability continues to hinder recovery efforts. In November 2024, Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) dismissed interim Prime Minister Garry Conille and appointed businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as his successor. This political upheaval drew criticism from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which expressed deep concern over the transitional governance process and urged Haitian leaders to conduct free and fair elections by February 2026. Concurrently, escalating violence and maritime crimes, along with the suspension of flights to Haiti, have further isolated the nation, complicating humanitarian aid delivery. The United Nations Security Council has been calling for continued support, as delays in reinforcements and deployment continue to impede stabilisation efforts. Without immediate and coordinated international support, the humanitarian space in Haiti will continue to erode, leaving millions of vulnerable people, especially children, without access to life-saving support.