Violence in Haiti's Centre Department triggers displacement of 50,000 people: UN

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Following violence spreading to Haiti departments outside of the gang-warfare-dominated capital of Port-au-Prince, UN humanitarians said on Thursday more than 50,000 people are displaced in Centre Department alone.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that among the 50,000 people displaced, there are an estimated 15,000 children.

"Most displaced families have taken shelter in rural areas or in temporary sites with little access to essential services," OCHA said. "In response, the UN and its humanitarian partners are providing psychosocial support and child protection services in the most affected areas."

The office said more than 1,400 children have benefited from individual counseling and recreational activities in safe environments.

OCHA said that field teams are identifying and referring children separated from their families, subjected to gender-based violence, or exposed to other protection risks, including forced recruitment by armed groups. At least 150 such cases have been referred to specialized services for care and support.

The office said it leads coordination efforts to support partners delivering protection services for the most vulnerable children. However, additional funding is urgently needed to meet rising needs, especially with the hurricane season approaching and displacement continuing to increase.

OCHA said that even before the recent escalation of violence, the 2025 Haiti Humanitarian Response Plan identified more than 44 million U.S. dollars in funding needed for child protection efforts alone. Yet, the overall appeal for Haiti this year is severely underfunded, with less than 68 million dollars received out of the more than 908 million, just over 7 percent. ■