“There is human suffering at an alarming scale,” said UN coordinator Ulrika Richardson, describing the current daily realities of unrest in Haiti.
Haiti, especially its capital, Port-au-Prince, has been gravely affected by a recent outbreak of disorder and political unrest as violent gangs fight for control of the Caribbean nation.
Haiti's Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, resigned earlier in the month amid escalating violence and deteriorating infrastructure, prompting the evacuation of non-essential personnel from the UN, EU, and various other nations.
According to the United Nations, 5.5 million Haitians, more than three million of them children, are in need of help. Richardson stated that the country is “one step away from famine,” as 1.4 million people are facing emergency levels of hunger. Additionally, as much as 45% of Haitians do not have access to clean water.
Richardson also drew attention to ongoing human rights violations, highlighting the occurrence of widespread sexual violence. She stated that both sexual torture and “collective rapes” are committed against women at a rampant scale.