The continued rise in armed gang activity, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, has placed enormous pressure on local communities and their already fragile social services.
Bruno Maes, UNICEF The representative in Haiti noted that more than 270,000 people had fled to the south of the country.
Struggling to cope
As the new school year begins, displaced families face a major challenge in finding school places for their children.
“Local services are struggling to cope with the influx of displaced school-age children as well as the disruption from ongoing violence,” speak Mr Maes is currently visiting affected families in the area.
“Children deserve the right to a safe education so they can create a bright and prosperous future for Haiti.”
Great pressure on services
UNICEF said the presence of 103,000 displaced school-age children in the Grand South region has put severe pressure on education services, while nearly 919 schools in the West and Artibonite regions have been closed.
As a result, some 156,000 students were affected and many children lost a significant portion of the school year due to school closures and ongoing violence.
Ensuring learning continues
UNICEF is working closely with the Government of Haiti to mitigate the impact on education, including by rehabilitating damaged schools, establishing temporary learning spaces, building the capacity of teachers and other staff, and providing essential educational materials.
In addition, the organization facilitates cash transfers to affected families to help cover school-related expenses and ease financial burdens.
However, the UN agency is in dire need of $87 million to continue these efforts and is appealing for more financial support as as of August 1, it had only raised about $5.4 million.
Mr Maes called on the global community to “provide the support needed to address these critical needs and ensure that every child has the opportunity to return to school and continue their learning journey”.
Support for agriculture
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Food and Agriculture Organization) also stressed the urgent need for funding to assist more than half a million Haitians to prevent further hunger and suffering.
Since February, escalating violence and increasing displacement have dramatically reduced agricultural output and disrupted markets, leaving half the population, some five million people, on the brink of severe hunger.
FAO is calling on the international community to secure $48 million to support 608,000 people carrying out emergency agricultural activities.
