UNITED NATIONS, (CMC) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says the humanitarian crisis in Haiti has reached a critical point, with one in eight children now internally displaced due to escalating violence fueled by armed groups who continue to control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

UNICEF pointed to the latest data that reveals that over 500,000 children have been forced from their homes, representing a 48 per cent increase since last September.

It said in total, more than one million Haitians are internally displaced, half of whom are children urgently requiring humanitarian aid.

“It is a horrific time to be a child in Haiti, with violence upending lives and forcing more children and families from their homes,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

“Children desperately need safety, protection and access to essential services. We cannot look away,” she added.

Russell said decades of political instability, poverty and inequality have enabled the rise of armed groups, stating that the impact on children has been devastating.

UNICEF pointed to reports that indicate a 70 per cent surge in child recruitment by gangs over the past year, with minors making up as much as 50 per cent of their ranks.

“This recruitment violates international law and constitutes a grave violation of children’s rights,” it said, noting that the displacement crisis has left children especially vulnerable to violence, including sexual violence, exploitation and abuse.

It said incidents of sexual violence against children have increased by 1,000 per cent in the last year.

The UN agency said access to basic services, such as education, healthcare, clean water and sanitation, has been severely disrupted, leaving children at heightened risk of malnutrition and disease.

UNICEF said nearly 6,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions, and unsanitary displacement sites have created fertile ground for cholera outbreaks.

It said the French-speaking Caribbean country has recorded nearly 88,000 suspected cases of the disease, which disproportionately affects children. UNICEF said the crisis is particularly acute in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, “where violence and instability are rampant”.

It said by December attempted sieges of residential neighbourhoods forced approximately 40,000 people to flee their homes in just two weeks.

UNICEF estimated that three million children nationwide need humanitarian assistance, with 1.2 million children in immediate danger across the country.

The UN Children’s Fund is urging all parties to immediately cease hostilities and end violations of children’s rights, including recruitment by armed groups and all forms of sexual violence.

The agency has also called for unimpeded access for humanitarian workers to reach those in need, including displaced populations.

“Children in Haiti are bearing the brunt of a crisis they did not create. They rely on the Haitian Government and international community to take urgent action to protect their lives and safeguard their futures,” Russell said.

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