Haiti: A multi-dimensional crisis leading to continued displacement
Haiti faces a multidimensional crisis with continuing gang violence, mass displacement, and severe humanitarian needs. Despite efforts toward stability, the situation remains dire, demanding urgent international solidarity.
Oct 3, 2024 - Also available in: Français | Español
Mexico. Jessica (left) and Jessie (right) are twin sisters who are refugees in Mexico. They were born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and came to Mexico to reunite with their mother, Julie, who left their country due to threats and violence. ©UNHCR/Aurora Herrera
Indiscriminate gang violence in Haiti has led to an alarming escalation of human rights violations and large-scale internal displacement. Gang violence against the Haitian population has spread from the capital, Port-au-Prince, to isolated rural areas. The pervasive violence includes sexual violence, kidnapping, looting, roadblocks and forced recruitments by armed gangs, along with an increasing number of attacks on hospitals, schools, places of worship, and other critical social infrastructure.
Escalating violence and its far-reaching consequences
2010
A massive 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti killing more than 200,000 and displacing millions. Later that year, a cholera outbreak led to nearly 10,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of infections.
2016
When Jovenel Moïse became President in 2016, his election faced accusations of fraud, leading to protests and political instability. The turmoil continued into July 2018, with large protests against Moïse over corruption, economic issues, and fuel shortages.
2021
July
President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated, plunging the country into a deep political crisis.
August
Haiti is struck by an earthquake of magnitude 7.2.
2021-2022
The assassination of President Moïse leaves a political vacuum, exacerbating an already volatile security situation. Gang violence, kidnappings, and general insecurity skyrocket, while acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry struggles to hold elections.
2023
January
After Haiti’s government fails to hold elections, citing unprecedented levels of gang violence, Haiti loses its last democratically elected officials.
2024
February
Gangs under the alliance Viv Ansamn execute coordinated assaults in Port-au-Prince to detain officials and obstruct Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry's efforts to secure a UN-supported international security mission led by Kenya to combat gangs in the country.
March
Henry signs an agreement with Kenya to deploy 1,000 police officers to combat gang violence, however, the process is delayed by a court ruling that deemed the deployment is unconstitutional.
Gangs in Haiti continue to escalate their attacks, storming two of the country's biggest prisons and freeing more than 4,000 inmates. They also seized control over the area surrounding the international airport, leading to its closure for several months. In response, the Haitian Government declares a state of emergency.
Amid growing calls for his resignation, Henry travels to Puerto Rico on his way back from Kenya, announcing plans to step down once a transitional council is established. Henry’s plane remains blocked in Puerto Rico and unable to return to Haiti for security reasons.
April
The Kenyan government suspends deployment to Haiti until a new government is formed. A deal for a temporary government, which would last until February 2026, is proposed on April 7. On 25 April, Ariel Henry resigned, and was replaced by the Transitional Presidential Council.
May
The clashes between gangs and security forces continue but begin to decline in late May. On 28 May, the Transitional Council appoints Garry Conille as the new Prime Minister.
June
Haiti’s Transitional Council appoints a new cabinet on 11 June. On 26 June, Kenya's first contingent of 400 elite police officers landed in Port-au-Prince’s international airport after months of delay.
September
Haiti's government created a provisional electoral council on 18 September paving the way for the electoral process to be held by 2026.
The magnitude of the crisis is stark: almost half of Haiti’s 11.9 million civilians require humanitarian assistance. Gang violence and political instability have resulted in a record 702,973 people internally displaced, making Haiti the country with the largest number of displacements globally due to crime-related violence. In 2024, UNHCR reported more than 350,000 Haitian refugees and asylum-seekers worldwide, with many undertaking dangerous journeys across the Americas and the Caribbean.
There has been slow progress towards stability through the election of the Transitional Presidential Council and with the recent arrival of the first contingent of Kenyan police officers as part of the Multinational Security Support mission, there is a glimmer of hope for Haitians for some stability.
A comprehensive and sustainable long-term strategy will help to, to protect and support vulnerable populations, deliver essential services, strengthen Haitian capacity to invest in education, promote inclusive economic growth and job creation, and strengthen the rule of law. Humanitarian aid is critical to saving lives, and the humanitarian response needs to serve as a steppingstone to durable, sustainable recovery actions.
Inside Haiti
This multi-dimensional crisis poses a critical threat to the life, health, security, and well-being of the Haitian people. This has resulted in significant internal displacement, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities already present in the population.
As of September 2024, nearly 703,000 people have been forced to flee their homes due to gang violence and general insecurity, with the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) doubling between 2022 and 2023. In the first nine months of 2024 , more than 390,000 people were displaced. This displacement has occurred nationwide, but the majority of IDPs are concentrated in the West department, which includes the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Number of IDP per province
Source: IOM-DTM
Children are particularly vulnerable in this crisis. Over half a million children live in neighborhoods controlled by armed groups, exposing them to violence and the risk of recruitment. The ongoing violence has forced the closure of nearly 900 schools, affecting almost 200,000 children and increasing their vulnerability to exploitation by gangs. The situation is compounded by a lack of safe and private spaces for psychological support, heightening the risk of abuse and trafficking.
Security incidents
Source: ACLED
Displaced women and girls, particularly those in internally displaced person sites, are disproportionately affected by the insecurity and violence. Gender-based violence (GBV) has surged amidst the ongoing crisis. From January to May 2024, 3,949 incidents of GBV, including sexual violence, physical assault and psychological / emotional violence, were reported to GBV service providers. The rise in displaced populations and worsening security conditions in IDP sites have further increased GBV risks. In March 2024, incidents of GBV were almost four times higher than in the first two months (44 in January and February compared to 172 in March), with some providers reporting up to 40 cases of rape per day.
Number of GBV incidents per 1,000 IDP
Source: UNHCR
Health and food security in Haiti are also at critical levels. Nearly half of the population suffers from severe food insecurity, with 2 million in a state of emergency. The updated Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC) projection from September 2024 shows a worsening of food insecurity, with about 1.2 million additional people facing acute food insecurity compared to previous estimates.
IPC Acute Food Insecurity Phase Classification
Source: IPC
The living conditions of internally displaced populations are increasingly dire. While most IDPs sites are concentrated around Port-au-Prince there has been a gradual movement to different departments throughout the country and especially to the southern region where nearly 268,000 displaced individuals reside. Many face severe shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical care. Approximately 83% of IDPs stay with host families, who often struggle with limited resources. Constraints in humanitarian access make it more difficult to deliver assistance to those in need.
For Haitians forcibly returned to Haiti, returning to a country in turmoil, often after years of living outside the country, combined with the conditions in which forced returns take place, including detention, make reintegration all the more challenging. The humanitarian needs of those returned continue to grow.
In Haiti, UN agencies, civil society and international and local partners are working to address humanitarian needs. These efforts include emergency support to millions of food insecure people, providing basic services to a growing number of displaced families in sites and host communities, preventing and responding to protection risks, including rampant gender-based violence. In parallel to these efforts, humanitarian partners are focused on enhancing the government capacity and strengthening preparedness for natural disasters, including with anticipatory action.
Humanitarian access severity
Source: OCHA
Outside Haiti
The dire humanitarian situation in Haiti has increasingly forced Haitians to flee their country in search of safety. As of December 2023, over 350,000 Haitians have sought protection abroad, with the vast majority remaining within the Americas.
Among those fleeing Haiti are people with different protection needs, profiles, and motivations, including unaccompanied and separated children, victims of trafficking, and survivors of gender-based violence. Some may have well-founded grounds to request international refugee protection according to UNHCR’s International Protection Considerations with regard to people fleeing Haiti, while others may have other protection needs. The diverse profiles of those fleeing underscore the urgent need for protection and support for Haitians seeking safety in the region and beyond.
Haitians displaced in the Americas
The most common destinations for Haitians fleeing the country include countries in the Caribbean, North, Central and South America.
The situation in Haiti has led to different waves of movements from the country in the past decade, including a rise in maritime voyages as indicated by increased interceptions at sea. In 2024, the primary intended destinations for these movements have been the Bahamas, the United States, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, with additional, smaller-scale occurrences observed across other northern Caribbean islands.
Main displacement routes by type
Source: UNHCR
In the Americas, other movements of Haitians include arrivals to Brazil, Chile, and French Guyana but these routes are costly to access for most Haitians given that they involve air travel. Moreover, lack of access to documentation poses an additional challenge for Haitians seeking to travel in a regular manner.
Main displacement routes by type
Source: UNHCR
While some stay in countries of first arrival, others continue their journey onwards through South and Central America, where they may spend at least 6 months, and in many cases over a year, before heading further north. This northbound movement mainly passes towards Ecuador and Colombia, before leading to the dangerous crossing of the Darién jungle into Panama.
Main displacement routes by type
Source: UNHCR
The Darien land route is especially dangerous. In 2023, over 46,000 Haitian nationals crossed the Darien, making Haiti the third most common nationality, following Venezuela and Ecuador. This trend has continued into 2024, with over 11,000 irregular crossings reported as of early September. Many reach Central American countries, Mexico, and the United States through this land route.
©UNHCR/Melissa Pinel
In addition to the challenges posed for people moving in mixed flows, as predominantly Kreyol speakers Haitians often have language barriers and Haitian asylum-seekers and migrants in the Americas often face compounded barriers to accessing protection and solutions, including discrimination, xenophobia and lack of access to information.
Main displacement routes by type
Source: UNHCR
Solutions for Haitian Refugees
The crisis in Haiti is driven by multiple factors, including political instability, economic hardship, violence, and natural disasters. Addressing this complex situation requires a comprehensive, multi-dimensional response from those in the region and beyond that integrates sustainable solutions.
In March 2024, UNHCR published International Protection Considerations with regard to people fleeing Haiti, outlining certain profiles of Haitians who might be eligible for refugee protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention or under the expanded definition in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration. These considerations provide guidance to assist States in assessing asylum claims in light of the extreme violence, human rights violations, and events that have seriously disturbed public order in Haiti. Seeking asylum is a human right, and UNHCR is committed to working with host countries to provide legal and humanitarian support to hosts and the asylum-seekers they protect.
Countries could also consider granting other forms of protection for people from Haiti, including complementary protection, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, or other legal stay arrangements. Several countries in the Americas are already offering these alternatives to displaced Haitians, enhancing their protection and allowing them to integrate into the communities has welcomed them, some examples include:
Mexico
Mexico became the first country in Latin America to apply the Cartagena definition to Haitian asylum-seekers, following successful training sessions for the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) staff in July, supported by UNHCR. This application of the Cartagena definition is expected to enhance COMAR's ability to efficiently process asylum claims from Haitians and offer them comprehensive protection, including the possibility of family reunification in Mexico—a benefit they would not receive under complementary protection or standard migratory status.
©UNHCR/Jeoffrey Guillemard
Chile
Following the 2010 devastating earthquake severely affecting Haiti, Chile adopted different measures to facilitate the regularization of Haitians in their territory including temporary visas and measures to facilitate family reunification. The number of Haitian nationals in Chile has increased sharply since, with a total of 184,721 Haitians in Chile, based on official numbers from December 2022. Despite facing challenges with meeting the requirements to apply for permanent residence visas, in 2023, Haitians accounted for the second highest number of permanent residency applications, with 25,799 applications
Brazil
Brazil has historically been a welcoming country for the Haitian population. Haitians can apply for a permanent visa based on humanitarian grounds. In June 2023, the government launched the Action Plan for Strengthening the Protection and Local Integration of the Haitian Population in Brazil, an initiative jointly built with UNHCR.
The Plan targets both Haitians already residing in Brazil, to support their integration process and try to address and prevent risky, secondary movements, as well as those arriving more recently who need timely access to information, protection, and livelihood opportunities.
©UNHCR/Joana Lopes
Canada
The federal government launched a family-based humanitarian pathway to provide permanent residence to Haitian, Colombian, and Venezuelan nationals with family members residing in Canada, which is benefiting 11,000 people.
In recognition of their exceptional contribution to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, Canada implemented a special measure to provide a pathway to permanent residence for asylum claimants – including many Haitians - across the country working in the healthcare sector.
United States
Among the examples from the US, on June 28, 2024, the United States announced the extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, until 3 February 2026. The redesignation of Haiti for TPS allows an estimated 309,000 additional Haitian nationals to file an application for TPS.
Other Solutions
Several countries in the Americas and beyond are extending various forms of protection and legal stay arrangements to Haitian refugees, including temporary protection, family reunification, humanitarian visas, and access to documentation.
For example, France has introduced an education program specifically supporting high school-aged Haitian refugees, and The Bahamas amended The Passport Act to provide protocols for children of Bahamian men born to foreign women in the Bahamas to obtain nationality. The main profile of persons affected by the new legislation are children born to Haitian mothers born in The Bahamas.
Throughout the Americas, UNHCR is working with partners to provide protection and solutions for Haitians in a situation of forced displacement. Inside Haiti, UNHCR is working alongside UN agencies and protection partners to enhance protection for internally displaced persons and provide access to documentation to prevent statelessness and ensure access to rights.
Despite the severity of the crisis, funding for the humanitarian response in Haiti remains critically low. The Humanitarian Response Plan is currently 39 percent funded.