The ongoing violence in Haiti has left thousands of children on the brink of death, UNICEF has warned.
Dozens of people have been killed in the Caribbean country since the gang attacks began on February 29, with gunmen targeting police stations and the main international airport that remains closed. Gangs have also targeted hospitals, schools, pharmacies and clinics in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, with the violence restricting aid delivery and wrecking an already fragile healthcare system.
Thousands of people have been left hungry, with many forced to flee their homes. According to UNICEF more than 125,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) if urgent supplies cannot be delivered.
“The violence and instability in Haiti have consequences far beyond the risk of the violence itself. The situation is creating a child health and nutrition crisis that could cost the lives of countless of children,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
“Thousands of children are on the brink, while life-saving supplies are ready to be delivered if violence stops and roads and hospitals are opened. This malnutrition crisis is entirely human made. Basic security is urgently needed for the people of Haiti, for the life-saving services they rely on, and for humanitarian workers to reach children and families in desperate need.”
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Dozens of people have been killed in Haiti since the gang attacks began on February 29 (AFP via Getty Images)UNICEF say the increased violence has had "serious consequences" for the agency's ability to store, deliver and restock desperately needed assistance. Earlier this month, one of its 17 containers containing "essential items for maternal, neonatal, and child survival, including resuscitators and related equipment" was looted by armed gangs.
“Looting of supplies that are essential for life-saving support for children must end immediately,” said Bruno Maes, UNICEF’s Haiti representative, in a statement. “This incident occurs at a critical moment when children need them the most.”
UNICEF say it is "virtually impossible" for health and nutrition supplies to reach "at least 58,000 children suffering from severe wasting in the metropolitan area". The Martissant road, the only humanitarian corridor from Port-au-Prince to the southern regions, remains blocked, "leaving an estimated 15,000 children suffering from malnutrition at the brink of disaster".
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Thousands of people have been left hungry, with many forced to flee their homes (Anadolu via Getty Images)Armed gangs also set fire to a school in downtown Port-au-Prince on Monday, leaving more than 1,000 children without education. According to Bruno Maes, UNICEF’s Haiti director, armed gangs entered the school and set fire to 23 classrooms.
"Attacks on schools violate children’s rights and international humanitarian law," he said. "Schools should be safe spaces and protected at all times. It is hard to believe that children have to live in permanent fear of such attacks. This doesn’t have to be their reality. Attacks on children and families must stop, once and for all.
"The number of schools forced to close due to violence and insecurity has risen in recent months. As of the end of January, a total of 900 schools had temporarily closed, depriving approximately 200,000 children of their right to education. Threats to school security are particularly acute in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and in the northern part of Artibonite.
Gangs have targeted hospitals, schools and pharmacies in recent weeks (Getty Images)"In a country facing increasingly complex conflicts and instability, education can never be considered merely an option; it must be acknowledged as a necessity, a matter of survival, and a key to social stability."
Meanwhile, Caribbean leaders are helping form a transitional presidential council that will be responsible for choosing an interim prime minister and a council of ministers. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has said he would resign once the council is created. He is currently locked out of Haiti, with airports closing when he was on an official trip to Kenya in early March
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