According to the IOM, 41,000 people have had to leave their houses since November 11 because of the growing violence and instability in Haiti's capital.
According to the rights organisation Save the Youngsters, over 21,000, or around 52%, are youngsters, many of whom have had to relocate more than once in the previous two years.
The most recent data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) indicates that this is the largest displacement wave since January 2023.
Many children have been compelled to seek safety in overcrowded schools that have been converted into shelters or with host families, frequently with little to no access to food, clean water, or medical treatment.
Save the Children demanded on Wednesday, November 27, that all parties do all in their power to protect children and that relief workers and life-saving supplies have complete, unrestricted access across Haiti, particularly in Port-au-Prince, in order to fight hunger and severe acute malnutrition.
According to the UN, the number of youngsters in Haiti who are being recruited by gangs has increased by 70% in the past year, which coincides with the most recent wave of violence that is causing relocation While some of these kids have joined gangs to survive, many have been coerced into doing so.
Following the dismissal and replacement of Haiti's temporary prime minister due to political infighting and accusations of corruption against members of a transitional council established to restore democratic order to Haiti, violence has erupted in the capital.
According to U.N. estimates, 85% of the city is under gang control. The balance of power on the ground has not changed despite a police expedition headed by Kenya.
Source: Africannews.com