BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE United Nations has reported a sharp rise in the number of people displaced in Haiti due to ongoing violence and unrest across the country.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs raised the alarm following new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which revealed that nearly 1.3 million people are now internally displaced in Haiti.
During a press briefing on Wednesday (June 11), Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated that this figure represents a 24 percent increase since December 2024.
Haiti has been plagued by escalating violence in recent years, with armed gangs seizing control of large areas, including parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Despite the establishment of a transitional government, violence continues to surge.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been leading regional efforts to help stabilize the country as it prepares for general elections. However, the situation on the ground remains dire.
According to the UN, gang activity has spread beyond the capital into other regions, particularly the Centre and Artibonite departments, triggering large-scale displacement.
"In the Centre department, the number of displaced people has more than doubled in a few months, more than doubling from 68,000 in December 2024 to over 145,000 in June this year," said Haq. "In Artibonite, more than 90,000 people have fled their homes since December, and the department of the North has seen an increase of nearly 80 per cent of people displaced. Displaced families are often forced to settle in informal sites or overcrowded host households with limited access to basic services."
Many displaced families are now forced to live in informal settlements or overcrowded host households, often with limited access to basic services.
The crisis has also fueled rising levels of poverty, sexual violence, and other criminal activity throughout the country.
In response, the IOM has expanded its operations in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. According to the organization, it has reached more than 20,000 people with essential household items, distributed three million liters of clean water, and provided basic healthcare services to 6,000 individuals.
