GENEVA, Switzerland (CMC) — United Nations (UN) independent human rights experts say Haiti faces record displacement amid escalating gang violence, and that violence and political instability in the French-speaking Caribbean Community country have forced a record 578,074 people from their homes this year.

The experts say such a situation means that Haiti has the largest number of displacements due to crime-related violence.

“Violence, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince, has reached alarming levels, with armed groups controlling large areas and complicating humanitarian access,” said the experts, including the special rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons.

The experts said the clashes between gangs and Haitian National Police have created a “pervasive environment of fear, restricting freedom of movement and access to basic services”.

The UN said that in the first quarter of this year, gang-related violence reportedly claimed the lives of or injured 2,500 Haitians, including 82 children, adding that women and children have been the worst affected amid the heightened risks of sexual violence and exploitation.

The independent experts said many internally displaced persons (IDPs) are living in “overcrowded and inadequate conditions without basic hygiene and sanitation; facing severe shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical care, including a lack of safe and private spaces for psychological support”.

According to UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), nationally, 80 per cent of IDPs are living with host families while the remaining are sheltering in sites, many in gang-controlled or high-risk areas.

IOM said nearly half of the country’s population are suffering from severe hunger, with 18 per cent at “emergency” level of food insecurity.

United Nations said children and women have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the violence and instability in Haiti, with more than 310,000 women and girls and 180,000 children among the displaced.

More than half a million children are living in neighbourhoods controlled by armed groups, at heightened risk of violence and child recruitment, the UN said, noting that the growing number of unaccompanied, displaced children makes them particularly vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and trafficking by gangs.

UN said the violence and attacks on educational facilities have also forced the closure of nearly 900 schools, affecting almost 200,000 children, disrupting learning, and putting children at increased risk.

Sexual violence against women and girls at IDP sites is also surging as gangs continue to use rape as a weapon of terror, the Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts said.

Amidst the alarming situation the experts called for greater female leadership and participation to ensure a successful political transition in Haiti.

They also urged greater efforts to address root causes of displacement so as to build sustainable solutions for the future.

“Durable solutions for IDPs — such as safe return, resettlement, or local integration — require addressing the root causes of displacement including violence, political instability, and environmental degradation,” said the independent experts who are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

UN said the independent experts form part of the Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, and are regarded as special rapporteurs mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

UN said the independent experts work in their personal capacity, independent of United Nations and national governments, and that they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.