Escalating Humanitarian Crisis: Haiti’s Displaced Population Soars Past One Million

Geneva/ Port-au-Prince, 14 January 2024 – Over one million individuals are now internally displaced in Haiti, based on distressing new statistics published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The latest figures indicate that 1,041,000 people, many of whom have been displaced multiple times, are enduring an escalating humanitarian emergency. Children endure the heaviest impact of displacement, comprising more than half of the displaced demographic. 

This signifies a threefold rise in displacement within one year, increasing from 315,000 in December 2023 to exceeding one million. Displacement in the capital has almost doubled, rising by 87 per cent, driven by incessant gang violence, the degradation of essential services—especially healthcare—and deteriorating food security. This reflects the highest documented level of displacement attributed to violence in Haiti, highlighting pressing needs for safety and support. 

“Haiti urgently requires sustained humanitarian aid to save and safeguard lives,” stated IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We must collaborate to tackle the root issues of the violence and instability that have caused significant loss of life and destruction.”  

The majority of those displaced hail from the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince. Numerous individuals are seeking safety in Haiti’s provinces, overburdening host communities and depleting scant resources. In the Artibonite department, displacement increased threefold in 2024, affecting over 84,000 individuals, illustrating the spread of violence beyond the Haitian capital.  

Eighty-three per cent of displaced Haitians depend on already strained host families, acquaintances, and friends for accommodation, while the rest struggle to find shelter in makeshift sites. Compounding the crisis, 200,000 Haitians were deported back to Haiti last year, exerting even additional pressure on the country’s already overwhelmed social services. 

Sites for displaced individuals, especially concentrated in the capital, have significantly risen in number, growing from 73 to 108 within a year. These locations are extremely overcrowded and lack sufficient access to vital services such as food, clean water, sanitation, and education. Reports from these sites indicate worsening conditions, with families attempting to survive in temporary shelters while facing increasing health and safety risks. 

In spite of the challenges, IOM is providing essential assistance to those in need. “Our teams are present daily, supplying clean water, medical assistance, and shelter, but the demands are elevating rapidly,” remarked Grégoire Goodstein, IOM’s Chief in Haiti. “With appropriate support, we are prepared to expand our efforts, meet urgent needs, and assist Haitians in rebuilding their lives.”  

In 2024, the Organization supplied access to 18 million liters of clean water to displaced sites and refurbished water pumps in affected communities, benefiting thousands of families. Necessary supplies, including blankets, water containers, solar lamps, and hygiene kits, have been distributed to individuals in need. The Organization also provided relocation help, rental support, medical care, and psychosocial aid to 75,000 individuals.  

IOM reiterates the necessity for ongoing humanitarian support, in addition to long-term investments in governance, security, and social unity. These initiatives are crucial for breaking the cycles of violence and displacement, fostering stability in communities, and restoring hope for recovery.  

“Haitians deserve a future. In times of such deep crisis, the world must prioritize solidarity over indifference,” concludes Amy Pope.  

 

For further information, please contact:

In Haiti: Antoine Lemonnier, alemonnier@iom.int 

In Panama: Jorge Gallo, jgallo@iom.int 

In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int