PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The UN and aid partners are continuing to reach hundreds of thousands of people with critical assistance, amid ongoing violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The World Food Programme (WFP) reported their staff were able to reach more than 18,000 people with cash transfers on Wednesday and 210,000 children across the country received a school meal, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
As part of the agency’s emergency response, food rations were distributed to about 8,000 people.
Gangs in the capital control from 80 to 90 percent of the streets which has fuelled a socio-economic crisis stemming from years of political turmoil culminating in the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was forced out of office last month.
More than 360,000 have been displaced across Haiti and around 100,000 are living in temporary sites in deplorable conditions.
Unprecedented rights violations
Human rights chief Volker Türk said earlier this month the scale of violations “is unprecedented in Haiti’s modern history” with gangs attacking police station, prisons, public buildings and carrying out murders and kidnappings.
Sexual violence is pervasive and more than 5.5 million Haitians, mainly children, are dependent on aid. With around 44 percent of the population food insecure, conditions are too dangerous to scale up assistance at scale.
Despite the ongoing crisis, WFP is managing to distribute hot meals to over 13,000 of those most in need across Port-au-Prince.
Top UN advocate for children caught in conflict committed to challenging gang leaders
The gangs which now control up to 90 percent of Haiti’s capital must be persuaded to end their campaign of violence which has left the children of the Port-au-Prince region without safety, schooling and sufficient food to eat, the UN’s top envoy for Children and Armed Conflict has told UN News.
“One of my biggest fears is that the youngest of the young in Haiti might also become victims of trafficking, particularly girls, for sexual purposes,” Special Representative Victoria Gamba, said, telling Cristina Silveiro that she is determined to visit the crisis-wracked nation “at the first opportunity” and confront the gang leaders face to face.
Listen here. Audio Credit- Cristina Silveiro, UN News Audio-14’29” – Photo Credit UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe