The Inter-Organization Liaison Framework (CLIO) expresses its deep concern over the alarming deterioration of the security situation in Haiti. While the population of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area remains exposed to extreme violence on a daily basis, insecurity is now spreading to the Centre and Artibonite departments, severely affecting localities such as Mirebalais, Hinche, Lascahobas, Saint-Marc, Petite-Rivière, and Verrettes.
Haiti, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis
Haiti is experiencing incredibly high rates of violence, particularly against civilians, health institutions and humanitarian NGOs. Political instability, natural disasters and poverty has fueled the growing gang violence in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas, shutting down essential services.
Attacks by armed groups in Haiti have sowed terror among civilians and led to the mass displacement of more than 66,000 people, who are now living with host families, in schools, churches, or public spaces, without adequate access to water, healthcare, or minimal protection. According to data collected from displaced people in the Mirebalais area, 93% of those surveyed reported having been informed of protection incidents in their areas of origin.
The most frequently reported incidents include:
- cases of assassination or execution of relatives (68%)
- disappearances (64%)
- threats to physical integrity (46%)
- testimonies of sexual violence (11%)
- children out of school (61%)
Some health facilities have been directly targeted or forced to close, further exacerbating the situation. All segments of the population are exposed to various forms of violence, although their ability to cope varies considerably.
Targeted critical infrastructure
Other attacks were also carried out in Kenscoff and Furcy last February (and continue to this day), displacing more than 3,000 people, including 721 children. Basic community services have been suspended; basic infrastructure, such as schools and health centers, has been severely affected and has seen its resumption of activities compromised. Movement restrictions imposed by armed groups severely limit residents’ freedom of movement, making access to basic necessities difficult and risky.
Humanitarian access has become extremely difficult due to ongoing insecurity, with some areas currently inaccessible. Furthermore, Kenscoff is the main supplier of agricultural commodities to the city of Port-au-Prince. Approximately 65% of the crops have already been burned or looted during these attacks, according to reports from three of the largest agricultural cooperatives on the ground.
The remaining fields are now also threatened by the continued advance of armed groups and raise fears of a deterioration in the quantity and access to food for the populations of the capital, in a context of already extremely worrying food insecurity.
The capital in a catastrophic state
The situation in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area is also becoming increasingly critical. Offensives have targeted previously relatively unaffected areas, such as Delmas, downtown Port-au-Prince, and Pétion-Ville. Between January and March 2025, at least 1,617 people were killed and more than 750 injured, marking a significant deterioration in the human rights situation.
As of April 4, 2025, more than 89,000 internally displaced persons (21,531 households) were registered in 87 IDP sites across the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. The total number of IDP sites in Haiti has increased from 119 to 228, a 92% increase, driven by armed violence. The neighborhoods of Carrefour-Feuilles, Turgeau, Saint-Martin, and Solino have experienced significant population declines due to mass displacement. At the same time, areas like Bellevue-Chardonnière in Pétion-Ville have seen their populations increase due to the influx of displaced people.
NGOs operating in Port-au-Prince regularly find themselves blocked by fighting, sometimes exposed to crossfire.
The devastating impact of cutting critical funding
Following the suspension of certain funding , NGOs find themselves overwhelmed by demand while their capacity to respond is limited. This inability to meet needs creates community tensions and impacts the long-term acceptance of these organizations. For example, it is estimated that a person living in an IDP site receives on average only three liters of water per day, well below the minimum recommended in an emergency situation, which is fifteen liters per day. Health and protection services are also seriously inadequate to meet the constantly increasing demand.
“The growing insecurity in the metropolitan area and the increasing presence of armed groups in the Centre and Artibonite departments are severely restricting humanitarian access. The ability of organizations to respond to urgent needs is seriously compromised, especially as the limited financial resources require difficult decisions regarding how operations are carried out.”
This reality directly threatens the continuity of assistance in the most critical areas. Nearly 25% of displaced people are children, often living in precarious conditions without adequate access to food, clean water, sanitation or medical care.
Humanitarian organizations operate according to the fundamental principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality, without political, ethnic, religious, or military bias. Their sole mission is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and protect human dignity, regardless of the status or origin of the affected people.
The CLIO insists that all parties to the conflict have an obligation, at all times, to distinguish between the civilian population and combatants and to take all feasible precautions to spare civilians during the conduct of hostilities. The CLIO also insists that NGOs must never be considered targets. Attacking or obstructing their work jeopardizes people’s access to vital services and constitutes a serious violation of international law.
Faced with this worsening humanitarian crisis, the CLIO:
- Calls on armed actors to fully respect humanitarian space, to ensure safe corridors for displaced populations and humanitarian teams, and to immediately cease attacks against civilians and critical infrastructure;
- Calls on all stakeholders to protect the population and facilitate humanitarian access, particularly in areas that are currently inaccessible or at risk;
- Calls on the humanitarian community and coordination partners to develop concerted solutions to secure access and ensure the continuity of emergency operations in the affected areas;
- Calls on donors to mobilize urgently and flexibly, adapting funding mechanisms to enable NGOs to intervene quickly and effectively in an extremely volatile context.
CLIO members remain committed to responding to the urgent needs of affected populations, despite constraints, and call for coordinated, sustained action that respects human rights and humanitarian law to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
About the CLIO:
The Inter-Organization Liaison Framework (CLIO) is a coordination platform for NGOs in Haiti. It brings together more than 60 national and international NGOs operating throughout the country. It aims to strengthen the effectiveness of humanitarian aid and development through information sharing and collaboration between humanitarian actors.
Photograph
Lhacene Habib