Haiti
2024-03 Factsheet - Haiti
Highlights
At the beginning of the year 2024, and particularly since the end of February, Port-au-Prince has witnessed a alarming surge in violence, marked by repeated attacks on essential infrastructure by armed groups. These targets include police stations, prisons, the international airport, the port, and the fuel terminal. Some humanitarian partners have faced looting of a portion of their stocks at the port, and the closure of the capital's airport has forced these actors to rethink their logistical strategies. Consequently, they have been compelled to receive non-food items necessary to address emergencies via the airport in Cap Haïtien, in the North of the country.
The increased presence of armed groups on national roads, demanding payments from trucks for passage, has led to higher transportation costs, making it more difficult to deliver essential items to partners' projects. By the end of March, the number of internally displaced persons exceeded 362,000, with 90,000 living in displacement sites. These sites have precarious shelter conditions that require urgent improvements to ensure the dignity and safety of those affected. Over 73% of displaced persons are living with host families, and the need to support these families is urgent.
In the South of the country, despite the challenges posed by the current context, humanitarian partners persist in their efforts to rehabilitate houses affected by disasters. However, the situation in the capital directly impacts their ability to successfully carry out these initiatives, particularly regarding the availability of quality construction materials.
NFI
Shelter
Need analysis
The current needs include the distribution of non-food items such as blankets, jerry cans, mats, and kitchen kits. The rehabilitation of collective centers is also necessary to improve living conditions and reduce protection risks. Additionally, cash assistance is required for the most vulnerable host families. It is also crucial to increase assistance outside of Port-au-Prince, particularly in the Grand Sud and Artibonite regions, especially for host families.
Response
Several partners have expressed their intention to intervene in the shelter and NFI sector for the year 2024, which is good news given the enormous needs. During the first three months of 2024, partners managed to maintain their assistance to the population despite the sharp rise in violence in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, making assistance conditions extremely difficult. Over 26,000 people have been able to benefit from aid that has improved their living conditions. The main type of assistance concerns the distribution of non-food items (NFIs). It should be noted that transportation assistance to reach a host family in the provinces and support to these families also began during the first quarter. Additionally, assistance with rental subsidies for the most vulnerable to help them leave the sites has continued. Rehabilitation of certain collective centers has also taken place, including the addition of lighting and the rehabilitation of structures to protect displaced persons from inclement weather. Rehabilitation projects for houses in the Grand Sud and the construction of Core Houses have continued.
Gaps / challenges
The humanitarian challenges are numerous. The lack of partners for the implementation of shelter and non-food items projects is a major obstacle. Furthermore, the increasing insecurity and difficulties in accessing displaced persons sites hinder efforts to provide effective assistance. Logistic costs, including truck rental rates, have also risen. Additionally, the control of roads by armed groups and their payment demands to allow passage significantly hinder humanitarian operations, making travel to provinces even more complex and risky. Moreover, the availability of quality materials in the South for the rehabilitation and construction of houses, including 4x4 planks, also presents an additional challenge to overcome.
