Social fabric is torn in Haiti as displacement reaches record levels

The social fabric of families is fraying in Haiti due to high levels of displacement resulting from insecurity and gang violence, warns Abdoulaye Sawadogo, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations (OCHA) in that country.

The number of people forced to flee their homes has risen from 362,000 in early March, when violence in the capital Port-au-Prince intensified, to more than 578,000 in June, an increase of 60% in just three months.

What happens in Haiti when people are displaced and how does the UN respond?

Difficulty responding to the crisis

The first step of any crisis response is to assess the extent of displacement and respond to the immediate humanitarian needs of those affected. People forced to flee their homes, often suddenly and with few possessions.

OCHA is coordinating the response mechanism with the Haitian government, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international partners, but this is not an easy task in Haiti, according to Sawadogo.

“The violence that has displaced people is the same violence that poses a challenge to responding,” he told UN News. “Aid cannot be delivered in the middle of a firefight.”

Fortunately, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) works with Haitian NGO partners who have teams on the ground to reach out to people and find out more about their individual situation.

Protecting people

Women and children are most vulnerable when their lives are disrupted by an event such as fleeing for their lives, as they are at risk of violence, sexual assault, exploitation, abuse and family separation. There is evidence that children are forced to work for gangs.

The UN is working to ensure their protection by supporting the Haitian government in providing legal documentation and social protection to these people, helping them access services and protection from exploitation and abuse.

IOM, the Population Fund of the United Nations (UNFPA), he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Haitian NGOs such as Toya and Kay Fanm Foundation are among the organizations that provide psychosocial support to traumatized people, including children.

Preparing for travel

One of the key elements of any response to displacement is being prepared to respond at short notice in often unstable and dangerous environments.

Having “financial resources, sufficient staff, access to the places where people have fled and government support” are also crucial, says Sawadogo.

The logistics of delivering relief aid plays an important role. In June, the World Food Program (WFP) sent by air more than 55 tons of medicines and shelter material for the displaced, as well as for the preventive storage of stocks for the hurricane season. The international NGO Doctors Without Borders also sent 80 tons of medicines to maintain its operations in the capital.

The UN Mission in Haiti provided first aid and disaster management training to residents of Port-au-Prince.

Humanitarian aid

The assistance provided depends on each situation, but generally it focuses on health, shelter, food, water and sanitation, along with psychosocial support.

Since March, the UN has distributed more than 21 million litres of water to displaced people in Port-au-Prince, more than 60,000 people have been transferred from WFP’s hot meals programme to its cash transfer initiative, and thousands of Haitians have received medical aid and psychosocial support.

IOM, UNICEF and local partners have distributed emergency shelter supplies and essential non-food items such as blankets, kitchen sets and hygiene kits. They have also ensured access to safe water, sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion to prevent disease outbreaks.

Health agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have set up temporary health facilities, provided medical care and carried out vaccination campaigns.

Last month, UNICEF also reinforced its presence in Léogâne, west of Port-au-Prince, where Some 33,000 people fled after an outbreak of gang violence in MayThe agency reported that Two thirds of these displaced people were women and childrenThe influx of people has put immense pressure on local education, healthcare and other essential services.

“We could do more if we had more resources,” Sawadogo said. “However, this year’s humanitarian appeal of $674 million is less than 25% funded seven months into the year, which is a challenge.”

Tearing of the social fabric

According to IOM, 80% of displaced people nationwide are living with host families, while the rest are sheltering in makeshift shelters, many of them in gang-controlled or high-risk areas. In the south of the country, the agency estimates that 99% of displaced people live with host families.

Many people are unable or unwilling to return home and may remain in temporary accommodation for long periods.

As a result, “the entire social fabric of families is unraveling as members are separated, jobs are lost, schools are closed and health services collapse,” Sawadogo said.

In these situations, the focus is on providing long-term support to ensure, for example, that children go to school. In some cases, livelihood programmes are offered to help displaced people regain self-reliance. These may include vocational training and income-generating activities, as well as seeds, tools and training for farmers.

Thousands of Haitians have fled violence in gang-controlled areas, seeking safety and refuge across the country.

Homecoming

The ultimate goal is to facilitate the return of displaced persons to their homes, whenever it is safe and they are willing to do so; in cases where return is not possible, the UN assists displaced persons in their new settlements.

“Every crisis has its own specificities, its own trauma,” Sawadogo said, adding: “Regardless of the crisis, our goal is to be as quick as we can to provide assistance to those in need and help them return to their normal lives.”

rmation on UN aid here.