A new report from UN Women reveals the dire living conditions and lack of security faced by some 300,000 displaced women and girls amid ongoing political instability, rising gang violence and the threat of the current hurricane season.
In constant danger
Women and girls make up more than half of Haiti’s 580,000 displaced people, and Rapid Gender Assessment of UN Women highlights how makeshift camps, lacking basic necessities, pose a high risk of sexual and gender-based violence.
The survey was conducted in April in the six most populous and diverse displacement sites in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
It was found that most camps lack lighting or locks in key areas such as bedrooms and toilets, while residents face daily threats from the gangs. The constant threat of stray bullets and other security risks underscores the urgent need for improved protection in these locations.
Aggression against women and girls, especially rape, is also used as a means in most camps deliberate tactic to control their access to humanitarian aidthe agency said.
Appeal to new government
“Our report tells us that the level of insecurity and brutality, including sexual violence, that women in Haiti face at the hands of gangs is unprecedented. It has to stop now,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women.
“We urge the newly appointed government to take measures to prevent and respond to violence women and girls are exposed to, and to increase the participation of women in the management of the camps so that their safety concerns are heard and acted upon.”
She added that “humanitarian aid must be distributed safely, in line with the differentiated needs of women and girls.”
Resorting to sex work
The report also found that nearly 90 percent of the women surveyed have no source of income in the camps.
More than 10 percent reported having resorted to sex work or prostitution at least once to meet their needs, and 20 percent knew at least one person who had done so.
Other findings include that about 16 percent of respondents felt intimidated, harassed or traumatized by armed gangs, and nearly 70 percent said they were mentally affected by the increase in violenceOnly 10 percent reported having access to health care in the camps.
Supporting women’s organizations and entrepreneurship
In response to the crisis in Haiti, UN Women is helping women’s organizations reach displaced people in host communities and camps, including through projects supported by the UN Women’s Fund for Peace and Humanitarian Aidthe UN Peacebuilding Fundand the German government.
The agency has also trained police officers to improve prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and provide services to survivors. In addition, it continues to support women entrepreneurs affected by roadblocks and ongoing violence through a project funded by Norway.
International security mission
Last October, the UN Security Council has authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to support the Haitian National Police in the fight against the gangs.
UN Women has called on all stakeholders involved in the non-UN mission to: ensure the immediate protection of women and girlsand to give Haitian women’s organizations a leading role in the management of the refugee camps.
Only two percent of women surveyed said they had a leadership role in camp management, the agency said. The agency stressed the urgency of ensuring women’s active participation in decision-making and implementing protection measures immediately.
