Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti - Flash Update #2

Haiti is grappling with a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by escalating gang violence, which has displaced over 41,000 people in Port-au-Prince and the neighboring Artibonite department since November 2024, adding to the 702,000 already displaced nationwide. Civilians, particularly women and girls, face heightened risks, including gender-based violence (GBV) and a severe lack of access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, especially in areas under gang control. Displacement sites are overwhelmed, with urgent needs for food, water, hygiene supplies, and health services, while women and girls are increasingly forced to resort to negative coping mechanisms such as transactional sex. The closure of the international airport and main seaport has further delayed life-saving SRH supplies, exacerbating the crisis and leaving already vulnerable populations without critical support.

In response, UNFPA has been delivering essential humanitarian aid, prioritizing SRH and GBV services. Mobile clinics have provided SRH and protection services to more than 640 individuals in displacement sites, while over 1,700 dignity kits and medical supplies have been distributed to ensure displaced pregnant women can access maternal and emergency obstetric care, resulting in 474 safe deliveries, including 53 caesarean sections. GBV mobile teams have reached over 1,800 women and girls with psychosocial support, counseling, and case management services, and GBV hotlines have provided assistance to 216 individuals, ensuring survivors receive timely care. These efforts underscore the critical need for sustained access, resources, and coordinated humanitarian action to protect and support Haiti’s most at-risk populations.