Since November 11, escalating violence and insecurity in Haiti’s capital have forced 41,000 people to flee their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Rights group Save the Children reports that about 52% of the displaced, or more than 21,000 people, are children, many of whom have been forced to move multiple times in the past two years.
This marks the largest wave of displacement since January 2023, the IOM’s latest figures show.
As a result, many children have sought refuge in overcrowded schools repurposed as shelters or with host families, often lacking access to clean water, food, and healthcare.
Save the Children called on November 27 for unrestricted access for humanitarian workers and life-saving supplies across Haiti, particularly in Port-au-Prince, to address hunger and acute malnutrition and to ensure the protection of children.
The current wave of violence driving displacement comes amid a surge in gang recruitment of children, which the UN reports has increased by 70% over the past year. Many of these children are being forced to join gangs, while others do so as a means of survival.
Violence in the capital intensified after Haiti dismissed its interim prime minister amidst political infighting and corruption allegations involving the transitional council set up to restore democracy.
The UN estimates that gangs now control 85% of the city. Efforts by a Kenya-led police mission have failed to shift the power dynamics on the ground.