Note de Plaidoyer / Advocacy Note - Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Haiti

More than 362,000 people are displaced in Haiti, primarily due to gang violence (96% of the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs)). Among these displaced persons, at least 195,764 are in the West Department, with 90,254 (46%) residing in 85 sites across the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince (ZMPP), while the remainder are hosted by families.

The protection situation of IDPs, particularly those sheltered in makeshift sites, is extremely concerning and dire. These sites (schools, churches, public or private buildings) are utterly unsuitable for accommodating families fleeing violence. The hygiene and sanitation conditions are deplorable. For instance, 34% of the sites have no latrines, and 66% have communal latrines that are in poor condition or non-functional. Additionally, IDPs rarely have access to potable water, which is only available occasionally when water trucks can deliver it to the sites. Access to food and healthcare is also very difficult.

Overall, gang-violence induced displacement has only increased the protection risks faced by the Haitian population in their daily lives.