Haiti – Complex Emergency
Security Theme
Natural Disasters
Keywords
Natural Disasters, Haiti, humanitarian crisis, organized criminal groups (OCGs), emergency food assistance, rising food prices
Description
In Haiti, political instability, insecurity fueled by organized criminal groups (OCGs), and exposure to natural hazards are driving widespread humanitarian needs. Approximately 4.9 million people, nearly half of the population, require emergency food assistance through June. Rising food prices, influenced by OCG activity, recurrent drought, and inflation, are diminishing purchasing power and exacerbating needs. Insecurity and restrictions on food supply movement, limited access to safe water, and escalating prices contribute to poor nutrition, affecting one in five children under five with acute malnutrition. Widespread protection needs persist, with 1.9 million people requiring assistance due to OCG violence, restricted access to services, and livelihood opportunities. Vigilante groups, responding to OCG violence, have emerged, contributing to the complex security situation. OCG violence remains the primary source of conflict, resulting in an estimated 600 deaths in April alone. Widespread displacement occurred, with nearly 9,000 civilians forced to move in April. Bwa Kale vigilante groups, formed in response to insecurity, conducted extrajudicial killings of suspected OCG members, raising concerns about potential retaliation. Despite OCG violence decreasing in May due to vigilante group activities, concerns persist about worsening violence and insecurity. Relief efforts face significant challenges, with nearly 330 incidents of constrained humanitarian access reported between January and March, affecting 48 localities in Artibonite, Ouest, and Sud departments. Access constraints, predominantly restricting movement and assistance to populations, impact approximately 97% of incidents. About 790,000 people live in areas with elevated access constraints, and 2 million reside in areas with moderate constraints. In response to heightened humanitarian needs, Vice President Kamala Harris announced $53.7 million in additional funding, bringing the total USAID/BHA funding for humanitarian response activities in FY 2023 to over $110 million.
Haiti – Complex Emergency
In Haiti, political instability, insecurity fueled by organized criminal groups (OCGs), and exposure to natural hazards are driving widespread humanitarian needs. Approximately 4.9 million people, nearly half of the population, require emergency food assistance through June. Rising food prices, influenced by OCG activity, recurrent drought, and inflation, are diminishing purchasing power and exacerbating needs. Insecurity and restrictions on food supply movement, limited access to safe water, and escalating prices contribute to poor nutrition, affecting one in five children under five with acute malnutrition. Widespread protection needs persist, with 1.9 million people requiring assistance due to OCG violence, restricted access to services, and livelihood opportunities. Vigilante groups, responding to OCG violence, have emerged, contributing to the complex security situation. OCG violence remains the primary source of conflict, resulting in an estimated 600 deaths in April alone. Widespread displacement occurred, with nearly 9,000 civilians forced to move in April. Bwa Kale vigilante groups, formed in response to insecurity, conducted extrajudicial killings of suspected OCG members, raising concerns about potential retaliation. Despite OCG violence decreasing in May due to vigilante group activities, concerns persist about worsening violence and insecurity. Relief efforts face significant challenges, with nearly 330 incidents of constrained humanitarian access reported between January and March, affecting 48 localities in Artibonite, Ouest, and Sud departments. Access constraints, predominantly restricting movement and assistance to populations, impact approximately 97% of incidents. About 790,000 people live in areas with elevated access constraints, and 2 million reside in areas with moderate constraints. In response to heightened humanitarian needs, Vice President Kamala Harris announced $53.7 million in additional funding, bringing the total USAID/BHA funding for humanitarian response activities in FY 2023 to over $110 million.
