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Humanitarian needs in Haiti still very high

Countries
Haiti
+ 1 more
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Port-au-Prince, 19 August 2016. - In the wake of the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), and six years after the devastating earthquake of 2010, humanitarian needs in Haiti still remain very high, even though much progress has been achieved. For example, about 96 per cent of the 1.5 million displaced people have been relocated from the camps to adequate housing. Schools, hospitals or administrative infrastructure have been rebuilt. In addition, advances on sanitation, access to clean water and health infrastructure have led to a significant reduction of the cases of cholera, from 351,839 in 2011 to 36,045 in 2015.

At present, major humanitarian challenges in Haiti include: the persistence of cholera, food insecurity, malnutrition, vulnerability to natural disasters and the binational migration crisis with the Dominican Republic. "Despite the significant progress made, the humanitarian context in Haiti remains complex and fragile due to the convergence of multiple risk factors, weak governance and structural under-development." Said Enzo di Taranto, Chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Haiti.

To address this situation, the Government of Haiti and the Humanitarian Country Team launched in April 2016 a Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) with a request of 193.8 million dollars to address the critical needs of 1.3 million people. Cholera remains a national emergency with 23,933 cases registered until 30 July 2016 and 219 deaths during the same period. Following the impact of El Niῆo and the high vulnerability of the country to metereological phenomena, drought has worsened affecting over 3 million Haitians, including 1.5 million in situation of severe food insecurity, and 130,000 children in acute malnutrition. The migration crisis with the Dominican Republic is generating a massive return of more than 133,000 people in a context where neither the Haitian governement nor the international community have the capacity to assist them. In addition, about 62,000 people are still in IDP camps from the earthquake, in conditions of vulnerability and in need of humanitarian assistance.

In this challenging context, the World Humanitarian Day constitutes an opportunity to highlight these challenges and to invite all partners and citizens to action. Globally, over 130 million people urgently need humanitarian assistance to survive, in a moment where funding reduces considerably, thus jeopardizing the progress achieved hitherto. "We therefore call for a renewed and sustained commitment from traditional donors to support vulnerable populations, but also from emerging partners, such as the private sector, diaspora, Haitian artists and United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors." added Mr. di Taranto.

This goal is reflected in the conclusions of the recent World Humanitarian Summit, in which Haiti has participated actively, especially on issues related to public health, the mobilization of the private sector and diaspora, as well as the involvement of women in humanitarian action. In collaboration with all partners, OCHA will contribute to adapt the recommendations of the World Humanitarian Summit to the Haitian reality, taking also into account the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recently adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. Indeed, the SDGs for 2030 provide a 15-year plan to reduce the needs and vulnerability of the most in need, by promoting the advent of a world of peace, dignity and opportunity for all.

END

For more information, please contact:

Ana Maria Pereira, Information Management Officer, pereira9@un.org, (509) 3702 5192

Alix Nijimbere, Humanitarian Reporting Officer, nijimbere@un.org, (509) 3702 5790

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.