Attachments
Highlights
- In Port au Prince, internally displaced sites increased from 89 to 111 hosting nearly 100,000 people while population continue struggling to access health services as only 20 per cent of health facilities remain functional. Moreover, clashes in Gressier,south of the West Department,displaced 34,000 people to Leogane.
- During the reporting period, 7,098 Internally displaced people living in sites across the capital were registered to receive multipurpose unconditional cash transfers.
- Furthermore, in partnership with national and local authorities as well as civil society organizations (CSOs), UNICEF reached over 184,000 people with critical water and hygiene supplies, screened over 177,000 children for wasting (of which 15,506 cases were detected and treated), over 141,000 children and women accessed UNICEF-supported health-care services, more than 13,000 children received education support, and over 4,650 children and families received psychosocial support.
- In 2024, UNICEF requires at least US$221.7 million to address the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable women and children. As of the end of May 2024, UNICEF’s humanitarian appeal faces an 84 per cent funding gap of US$185.4 million.
Situation in Numbers
3 million Children in need of humanitarian assistance (HNRP 2024)
1.2 million Children under threat in the Greater Port-au-Prince area (Based on Haitian Institute of Statistics)
1,281 deaths from cholera (inc.314 community deaths)
84,046 suspected cholera cases 4,844 confirmed cholera cases (Ministry of Health, 28 May 2024)
182,000 IDP children (IOM-DTM, March 2024)
Funding Overview and Partnerships
In 2024, worsening humanitarian needs have made donor commitments crucial to implementing life-saving activities and restoring basic services for Haitian families. As stated in the Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti 2024, the humanitarian community requires US$673.8 million to provide humanitarian assistance across all sectors. Under this umbrella, and as outlined in its 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children for Haiti, UNICEF requires US$221.7 million to support the needs of children and their caregivers across nutrition, education, child protection, health, gender-based violence (GBV), social behaviour change and humanitarian cash transfers programmes. As at 31 May 2024, the appeal remains 84 per cent unfunded.
As at the end of May, the Government of Japan, the Government of Cyprus, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Government of Greece, the Bureau of Humanitarian Aid of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Spanish Committee for UNICEF and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), have generously contributed to UNICEF’s humanitarian response in Haiti. UNICEF Haiti also received significant contributions from the Global Humanitarian Funds. Internal allocations via the Emergency Programme Fund (EPF) loan mechanism were also provided to continue supporting humanitarian activities Child Protection remains one of the most underfunded sectors.
UNICEF expresses its sincere gratitude to all donors for the contributions received. While all funding is greatly appreciated and needed, in many ways flexible funding is the most powerful way to save lives. Unearmarked and flexible funding enables UNICEF Haiti to invest when and where it is needed and in a timely and effective manner.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
With violence on the rise, the security situation continues to deteriorate with armed groups launching sustained largescale attacks leading to the burning of homes, particularly in the areas of Solino, Fort National, and Croix de Bouquets where two US nationals and one Haitian citizen were killed on 23 May; demolition of police stations, pressure on economic infrastructure, such as the port and the Varreux fuel terminal; and criminal activities to secure revenue.
Haiti and Kenya gathered in Washington DC to plan the envisaged deployment of the MSSM. Parallel discussions involving representatives from UN/OHCHR, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, El Salvador and Jamaica also took place, focusing on logistics and individual country responsibilities. Kenya police force claimed delays in the deployment regarding logistic issues but confirmed a first cohort of 200 officials will be deployed in the coming weeks. Following the designation of Gary Conille as Prime Minister on 29 May, expectations for the nomination of a new transitional government are expected by mid-June.
The compounded crises have impacted distinct groups and regions: urban populations entrapped by armed violence, families and persons displaced by violence, food-insecure and marginalized communities outside the capital, and repatriated migrants. In Port au Prince, IDP sites grew from 89 to 111 hosting nearly 100,000 people while humanitarian access to these continues to be intermittent. The population continues struggling to access health services as in Portau-Prince only 20 per cent of health facilities are functioning. Clashes between the police and armed groups have also relentlessly affected the population in the Municipality of Gressier, south of the West Department since 11 May, forcing the displacement of nearly 9,000 in sites and 25,000 in host families across the city of Leogane.
On 21 May, the first tornado of the season already hit Bassin Bleu, in the country’s Northwest department, signaling the beginning of some potentially devastating months ahead. According to the Municipal Council for the Management of Risks and Disasters, 112 people, including 29 children, were injured in the disaster. Approximately 4,350 people, including 650 children, lost their homes and many of them now live in temporary shelters.
Airlines announced the resumption of international and national flights, as of 22 May, operating in and out Port au Prince airport thus increasing the movement of humanitarian workers and evacuation capacities. Three EU/ECHO airbridge from Panama to Cap Haitian with health supplies, including cholera kits among others, landed in Cap Haitien. Ports in Port-au-Prince remain closed or taken under siege; and while Miragouane and Cap Haitien are open, customs processes are collapsing the capacity for timely deliveries. Five UNICEF containers remain at the port, pending clearance and opportunities to be recovered.
As of 28 May, 84,046 suspected cases of cholera have been reported, and 4,844 confirmed. Almost half are children. To date, there have been over 1,281 deaths, including at the community (314) and institutional (967) levels, since the onset of the epidemic. The West department recorded more cases of cholera than any other department. Along with Artibonite and the Center departments, the Weste is among the only three departments with multiple active cholera outbreaks over several weeks.