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The UNICEF representative for Haiti: "Acts of armed violence against schools have multiplied by nine in one year"

2023-02-13T04:46:05.708Z


For Bruno Maes, who is visiting Europe to appeal to the international community for support, this is one of the most difficult times to be a child in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake.


In the midst of one of the worst sociopolitical crises in the history of Haiti, submerged in a strong wave of armed violence, it is estimated that at least 2.6 million children and adolescents —one in two minors— need humanitarian aid from urgency in 2023, warned Unicef ​​at the end of January.

In the past two years, this number has risen by half a million, as the growing power of gangs and a resurgence of cholera, combined with food insecurity and skyrocketing inflation, have restricted access to essential health, nutrition, water and hygiene and education for millions of them.

"This is one of the most difficult times to be a child in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake, and the situation worsens day by day," said the UNICEF representative in the Caribbean country, Bruno Maes,

Ask.

Why is this one of the most difficult times to be a child in Haiti?

Answer.

This is definitely the worst moment in the last 12 years.

All indicators show increased vulnerability among children.

For example, one in five children suffers from malnutrition and one in 20 is already in danger of death for the same reason in Cité Soleil, a neighborhood in the capital of Port-au-Prince that has become one of the worst scenes of violence. Army in Haiti.

Then, children under 10 years of age represent one in three confirmed cases of cholera.

In addition, according to reports, in the first four months of the academic year (October-February), 72 schools were attacked compared to eight during the same period last year.

And in Port-au-Prince, an estimated 1.2 million children are threatened by violence.

Bruno Maes, UNICEF representative in Haiti, at the agency's headquarters in Madrid. Lucía Foraster

Q.

What are the main consequences of armed violence on Haitian children?

A.

Armed violence has caused all systems in Haiti to weaken.

The health, the educational, the protection... All.

And this disproportionately affects children.

They get sick, they can't go to school, they are forced to move.

In addition, many are suffering sexual violence, both in the streets and on the migratory routes.

When everything is weakened, children are left unprotected.

And that can't be.

They must be protected, with vaccines, with safe spaces like schools.

Public officials (doctors, nurses, teachers) get up every morning to go to work, to try to keep basic social services running in a context as difficult as the one they have.

You have to support them, because if not the system will completely collapse

Q.

And what about the Haitian girls?

R.

The same as in children, but multiplied, as always.

They pay a higher price.

Q.

In what situation is the educational system?

R.

In a not good situation.

Acts of armed violence against schools, including shootings, looting, and kidnappings, have increased ninefold in one year, causing the education system to come to a standstill.

In the first six days of February alone, 30 schools have been closed as a result of the escalation of violence in urban areas.

Q.

It is estimated that at least 2.6 million children and adolescents need emergency humanitarian aid in 2023. Why?

R.

Haiti has suffered a gradual deterioration for many years.

The systems are so weakened and the support of the international community is so minimal that it is very difficult for the situation to improve.

For this reason, UNICEF calls on the international community to urgently increase financial support for the humanitarian response in Haiti, the emergency operation of the agency with the least funds in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Last year, for example, our agency's humanitarian response in Haiti only received about 40% of the funding needed.

Q.

Has the world abandoned Haiti?

A.

In a way, yes.

I think it is because there is some fatigue among donors and because there are multiple crises in the world.

Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria... We are trying to bring attention back to Haiti.

A woman and her daughter run past a barricade erected by police to protest police mismanagement in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 26, 2023. Odelyn Joseph (AP)

Q.

And the national and local authorities?

Are children a priority for them?

R.

The truth is that we are working very closely with the ministries of Health and Education, and we consider that they are not doing it badly.

In addition, public officials (doctors, nurses, teachers) get up every morning to go to work, to try to keep basic social services running in a context as difficult as the one they have.

You have to support them, because otherwise the system will completely collapse.

If it hasn't collapsed already, it's because of the commitment of these people.

I also want to mention the incredible resilience of Haitian parents, who, every day, fight so that their children can go to school.

They know that if their children go to school they will have a better future.

In the first six days of February alone, 30 schools have been closed as a result of the escalation of violence in urban areas

Q.

What do you expect from the various meetings that you have held and will hold in Brussels and Madrid, with institutions such as the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aecid) or the foreign office?

R.

First, we have to congratulate the Government of Spain for the new cooperation law, which includes the objective of increasing the Spanish international aid budget to 0.7% of GDP.

Since Haiti is already part of the countries supported by the Spanish Government, we expect some additional commitment from these meetings.

What I want to convey is that we must try to improve the protection and education of Haitian children.

Q.

And how are they improved?

R.

For me, from the schools, which should be the safe space for children.

A space for learning, but also a space for peace, reconciliation and respect, which must not be violated by the perpetrators of violence.

We cannot accept that they become targets of violence.

And being clear that children's rights must be at the center of everything.

Because without children, there is no future.

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Source: elparis

All news articles on 2023-02-13

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