Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Gang violence in Haiti has displaced over one million people in 2024, marking a staggering increase from the previous year’s figures, the United Nations reported on Tuesday.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed that the number of displaced individuals has tripled from 315,000 in December 2023, highlighting the escalating humanitarian crisis gripping the Caribbean nation.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, the surge in violence, collapse of essential services, particularly healthcare, and worsening food security have driven displacement up by 87 percent. Many of those forced from their homes are children, with families often moving multiple times in search of safety.
“Haiti is facing an unprecedented level of displacement due to gang violence,” said Amy Pope, Director General of IOM. “We must work together to address the root causes of the violence and instability that has led to so much death and destruction.”
The majority of the displaced are seeking refuge with overstretched host communities, relying on friends, family, or acquaintances for shelter. Approximately 83 percent are in these informal settings, while the remaining populations are struggling in spontaneous sites lacking basic necessities.
Compounding the crisis, 200,000 Haitians were deported back to Haiti in 2024, further straining the country’s overwhelmed social services. Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, expressed concern over the deportations, stating, “Deporting Haitians back to a country where basic services are almost non-existent and violence is rampant is not the direction that a country should go in.”
Natural disasters have exacerbated the humanitarian situation. Floods in November and December 2024 affected more than 315,000 people nationwide, adding to the challenges faced by the population.
Despite these hardships, the UN and its partners continue to provide vital assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported aiding 1.7 million people in 2024 through emergency aid, school meals, and social protection initiatives. The IOM supplied access to 18 million liters of clean water to displaced people in camps and rehabilitated water pumps in affected communities, benefiting thousands of families.
However, the needs remain immense. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that $900 million is required in 2025 to support four million people in Haiti.
“Haiti needs sustained humanitarian assistance right now to save and protect lives,” Pope urged. “We cannot overlook the urgency of this crisis.”
The international community is called upon to respond decisively to prevent further deterioration of the situation in Haiti, as the country grapples with the compounding effects of violence, political instability, and natural disasters.
Reference(s):
UN: Gang violence left 1 million people displaced in 2024 in Haiti
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