\n<\/p>\n
An alarming 3.3 million children \u2014 the highest number on record \u2014 are now in need of humanitarian assistance and cases of acute malnutrition, child recruitment, gender-based violence and other children\u2019s rights violations are on the rise.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren in Haiti are being displaced at a distressing pace and scale<\/strong>,\u201d said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell. \u201cEach time they are forced to flee, they lose not only their homes but also their chance to go to school, to be safe, and to simply be children.\u201d<\/p>\n Decades of shocks from deadly earthquakes to political fragility and economic chaos have led to one of the world\u2019s most complex humanitarian emergencies in Haiti.<\/p>\n Armed gangs now control over 85 per cent of the country\u2019s capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as key roads, cutting families off from food, healthcare, protection and forcing them to flee.<\/p>\n More than 2.7 million people, 1.6 million of whom are women and children, are estimated to be living under the control of armed groups. The report warns that the scale of displacement is unprecedented as the number of refuge sites has soared to 246 nationwide in the first half of this year alone.<\/p>\n In Port- au-Prince and surrounding areas, classrooms have become targets and shelters. More than 1,600 schools were closed while 25 were occupied by gangs, depriving many thousands of students the opportunity to learn.<\/p>\n An additional barrier alongside gang violence and school closures is the cost of education. Only 15 to 20 per cent of schools are public, and even those still require families to pay for textbooks and uniforms, according to the report.<\/p>\n UNICEF has treated over 86,000 children with wasting \u2013 a life-threatening form of malnutrition \u2013 and is providing healthcare to 117,000 people, reaching 140,000 people with safe water, among other actions.<\/p>\n Yet the agency\u2019s work remains severely underfunded and without an immediate injection of resources, critical programmes will be severely constrained, the agency says.<\/p>\n \u201cThe children of Haiti cannot wait,\u201d warned Ms. Russell. \u201cLike every child, they deserve a chance to be safe, healthy and to live in peace<\/strong>.\u00a0It is up to us to take action for Haiti\u2019s children now.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018Unprecedented\u2019 displacement<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Education under siege<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A call for action<\/strong><\/h2>\n