Remarks by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell at the ECOSOC Special Session on Haiti

NEW YORK (December 2, 2024) - "Ambassador Rae, Excellencies, colleagues … good morning. It is good to be with you for this important discussion on the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. "Today, I am speaking both as UNICEF Executive Director …. and as the designated Principal Advocate on the Humanitarian Situation in Haiti for the Inter Agency Standing Committee. "Excellencies … the humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti continues to deteriorate. Each day, Haitians are enduring some of the worst abuses, and threats to their lives that we are seeing anywhere in the world. "Armed groups are regularly committing grave rights violations against children … including killing, and maiming. So far, this year, we have seen a staggering 1,000 per cent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children. "This is an abomination. To add to the horror, Armed groups are also actively recruiting and using children in their operations. We estimate that children account for 30 to 50 per cent of armed group members … while the total number of children recruited by armed groups has jumped by 70 per cent over the past year. They are being used as informants, cooks, and sex slaves, and they are being forced to perpetrate violence themselves. "Across the country, five and a half million people, including three million children, need humanitarian assistance … with most facing severe food insecurity. More than 700,000 people, including 365,000 children, are now internally displaced, and living in overcrowded camps or shelters. "Basic services like water, sanitation and health care have collapsed, putting children and families at increased risk of illness and disease - including cholera. In Port-au-Prince, many hospitals and health facilities have been forced to close due to safety concerns. And 1.5 million children have lost access to education. "Making matters worse, violence and insecurity are undermining the ability of humanitarian actors to consistently reach Haitians in need. We continue to experience limited access to areas controlled by armed groups … where 2.7 million people remain, including 1.6 million women and children. "Consequently, hundreds of thousands of children and families living in besieged communities are largely cut off from humanitarian aid. "Despite the violence and limited access, aid workers continue to deliver assistance to people in need. So far this year, UNICEF and our partners have reached more than 259,000 people with critical water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies … provided 183,000 children and women with primary health care services … screened 323,000 children under five for wasting … and provided 61,000 children with psychosocial support. "But with conditions worsening by the day, we must urgently expand the humanitarian response. "This requires increased support from the international community. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is only 43 per cent funded. Critical underfunded sectors include child protection, education, and nutrition. "UNICEF is urging Member States to take urgent action to meet the growing humanitarian needs inside Haiti. This includes increasing flexible funding for humanitarian operations … investing in basic social services and development assistance to support recovery … and supporting the work of the Multinational Security Support Mission. "In addition, UNICEF continues to call on all actors and armed groups to protect human rights … to end grave rights violations against children … to cease attacks on civilian infrastructure ... to immediately release any children from their ranks … and to facilitate unimpeded access for humanitarian workers to safely reach communities in need. "UNICEF is also urging the Multinational Security Support Mission and the Haitian police to prioritize the safety and protection of all children … including those who have been recruited and used by armed groups. Proper handover protocols should be in place to ensure that any children encountered in military operations are safely transferred to civilian child protection actors for their recovery and reintegration. "Excellencies … the people of Haiti have suffered far too much, for far too long. The international community has the tools and the resources to help the country emerge from this crisis, and to embark on a sustained road to recovery. "Haitians, and particularly the children of Haiti, are counting on us. We must not let them down. "Thank you." ### ABOUT UNICEF USA UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world's most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org. For more information please contact: Jenna Buraczenski, UNICEF USA, (917) 720-1432, [email protected]