At least two children were shot and killed in Port-au-Prince according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
A press release dated February 13, 2024 from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that at least two children were shot and killed while fleeing violence in areas controlled by armed groups in downtown Port-au-Prince over the weekend, with many other children reportedly been injured.
The representative of UNICEF in Haiti, Bruno Maes, for his part stressed that the conditions on the ground remain extremely dangerous for children. Playgrounds, schools and homes have become war zones in many parts of the city. “I personally saw an eight-year-old child being shot and injured a few days ago while she was playing in the backyard of her house. Fortunately, she was saved in time at the hospital thanks to the support of our partners.” he emphasizes, specifying that these incidents have become a daily reality, and many do not have access or do not have the means to obtain help in time.
Bruno Maes stressed that according to the latest data from his partners, at least 167 boys and girls were killed or injured by bullets in 2023. He informed that certain neighborhoods have become hell for children, violence has intensified to an rapid pace since the start of the year in these neighborhoods, and hospitals have once again had to evacuate their patients, including newborns, for fear of being attacked by armed groups.
“Over the past week (since February 5), several attacks have taken place in Port-au-Prince, notably in La Saline, in the communes of Carrefour, Cité Soleil and Tabarre, leading to the displacement of more than 2,600 people. Most of them have found refuge in host communities,” reads the UNICEF press release.
Apart from cases of armed violence, the United Nations Children’s Fund underlines that according to data collected from Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence actors, 2,701 cases of sexual violence have been reported between January and November last year, 1,895 of which involved children. It says the rise in armed violence across Haiti has triggered a profound humanitarian crisis, with the number of internally displaced children reaching 170,000.
Due to escalating violence, malnutrition, a resurgence of cholera and the collapse of basic services, UNICEF estimates that three million children across Haiti will need humanitarian assistance and more than a third of them are in urgent need of protection, and this number is expected to rise if conditions deteriorate. And to provide an effective response to the humanitarian needs in Haiti, UNICEF is requesting $221.7 million for 2024.
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