WITDENM Launches a Humanitarian Operation in Caradeux

In response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country, particularly in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian organization WITDENM launched a major food distribution operation this Thursday in Caradeux, one of the neighborhoods most affected by insecurity. This initiative is part of the program “One Family at a Time”, an integrated approach to supporting vulnerable populations. According to the NGO’s leadership, several thousand households were reached through this intervention. The beneficiaries live in extreme poverty, worsened by widespread insecurity and the collapse of basic social services. In addition to the food distribution, awareness-raising sessions were held on topics such as community solidarity and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and persons with disabilities. The “One Family at a Time” program is structured around three key pillars: emergency food assistance, psychosocial and educational support, and capacity building and economic empowerment. Its goal is not only to respond to the most urgent needs, but also to lay the groundwork for autonomy and long-term resilience. Founded in 2020, WITDENM is a non-profit, citizen-driven organization that works in the fields of humanitarian action, inclusive governance, and sustainable development. With this intervention in Caradeux, WITDENM is initiating a series of similar deployments planned in other high-risk areas of the capital, in collaboration with local authorities and community-based actors. This operation reflects the commitment of Haitian civil society to act concretely in the face of humanitarian emergencies, placing dignity and community participation at the heart of the response.

Beyond Shelter: Gender, Displacement, and Protection Gaps in Haiti’s Humanitarian Crisis

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti, driven by widespread armed violence, has led to a significant increase in internal displacement, with dire consequences for access to education. Informal shelters, often improvised with sheet metal and plastic tarpaulins, now serve as the only educational environment for thousands of children. In these makeshift spaces, teaching resources are virtually nonexistent: no blackboards, no desks, and in many cases, no qualified teachers. Children sit on buckets or on the ground, attempting to follow lessons led by volunteers. Education, under such circumstances, has become a luxury inaccessible to the most vulnerable. Since the latest waves of displacement, several thousand children have experienced prolonged interruptions in their schooling, with no clear pathway to reintegration into formal education systems. Insecurity and gang control of neighborhoods prevent families from sending their children to school, while the state’s capacity to offer alternatives remains extremely limited. "My daughter was in third grade. Ever since we fled Martissant, she has not been able to attend school," said one father interviewed in Delmas. This interruption in educational continuity not only jeopardizes the intellectual and social development of a whole generation but also undermines one of the most essential rights enshrined in the Haitian Constitution: the right to free and universal education. Any comprehensive humanitarian strategy must include robust educational interventions, including mobile learning centers, emergency teacher training programs, and the distribution of school supplies. In the absence of such measures, thousands of children risk being permanently excluded from one of the only sustainable pathways to recovery: knowledge.

Educational Disruption Among Internally Displaced Children in Haiti: A Deepening Crisis

The escalation of armed violence in Haiti has triggered successive waves of internal displacement, severely impacting access to education for thousands of children. In makeshift camps and temporary shelters, where basic living conditions are already extremely precarious, the right to education has become virtually unattainable. Children are often found attempting to learn in improvised spaces,under corrugated metal roofs, without blackboards, desks, or even chairs. Many sit on buckets or on bare ground, guided by volunteers with minimal resources. Education, under these conditions, has become an inaccessible privilege. Since the beginning of the displacement crisis, a large number of children have been out of school, with no clear pathway to reentry into the formal education system. Insecurity and territorial control by armed groups have made it nearly impossible for many families to safely access functioning schools. The long-term interruption of education poses serious risks to the cognitive, emotional, and social development of this generation, already traumatized by violence. Moreover, it constitutes a violation of a fundamental right enshrined in Haiti’s Constitution: the right to free, compulsory education for all. In response to this growing crisis, the humanitarian sector must prioritize education as a critical component of emergency interventions. This includes establishing temporary learning spaces, training emergency education personnel, and distributing learning materials and school kits. Without such investment, thousands of children risk permanent exclusion from one of the most essential foundations of recovery and resilience: knowledge.

Forced Returns and Humanitarian Stalemate: The Case of Belladère, Haiti

Belladère, Haiti – The Belladère/Elias Piña border crossing, located in Haiti’s Centre department, has become one of the primary points of forced return for Haitian nationals deported from the Dominican Republic. According to data from the National Office for Migration (ONM), no fewer than 73,593 individuals have been deported through this corridor since October 5, 2024. Among them are a significant number of women and children now living in conditions of acute vulnerability. Historically used as a transit zone, the Belladère crossing has seen its role transformed by a sharp deterioration in security across the Plateau Central, particularly in areas such as Saut-d’Eau and Mirebalais, which are now under the control of armed groups. As these strategic routes have become inaccessible, deported individuals are effectively stranded in Belladère, which has emerged as a humanitarian bottleneck. Local reception centers, already overwhelmed and underfunded, struggle to cope with the continuous influx of new arrivals. The limited capacity to provide shelter and basic services is fueling increasing tensions,not only among deportees but also within host communities. If left unaddressed, the situation may escalate into a broader communal crisis, exacerbated by resource scarcity and the absence of sustainable solutions. Given the gravity of the circumstances, this situation calls for an urgent, coordinated response involving national authorities, humanitarian agencies, and international partners. This must include expanding shelter capacity, ensuring access to essential services, and creating safe transit mechanisms for vulnerable populations. The fate of thousands now hinges on the speed and coherence of this mobilization effort.

Displaced Women in Haiti: Confronting Gender-Based Violence and Humanitarian Neglect

Port-au-Prince, Haiti – Fleeing gang violence, burned homes, and murdered relatives, thousands of Haitian women have been forcibly displaced, only to encounter new forms of hardship: extreme poverty, insecurity, and gender-based violence in the very spaces meant to offer refuge. Since the escalation of urban violence, numerous women have taken shelter in informal and overcrowded displacement sites, often accompanied by children, but more frequently alone. These sites typically lack secure sanitation facilities, access to reproductive health care, or psychosocial support, placing displaced women among the most at-risk groups within the current humanitarian emergency. I sleep with a knife under my pillow, shares Mireille, 29, displaced from Carrefour-Feuilles and now living in Delmas 33. At night, I’m afraid someone might break into the tent. Cases of harassment, sexual assault, and exploitation have been documented. However, most go unreported due to fear, stigma, and the absence of effective protection mechanisms. Impunity remains widespread. In response, local organizations have initiated small-scale interventions. One such initiative, FEMMES PRO, offers displaced women entrepreneurship training and financial support to help them rebuild their economic independence. Yet, these programs remain underfunded and insufficient given the scale of the crisis. Without a targeted and gender-sensitive humanitarian response, the current displacement crisis may further entrench structural inequalities, leaving women, who already bear a disproportionate share of the burden, invisible and unsupported. Addressing the specific needs of displaced women is not merely a moral imperative; it is essential to any sustainable path toward recovery and social resilience.

Displaced Persons in Haiti: Witdenm Sounds the Alarm on Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

The situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Haiti has reached alarming proportions. With the rise in armed violence and ongoing political instability, thousands of families have been left homeless, forced to flee their homes in search of refuge in makeshift camps, schools, or churches. However, these places of refuge are far from safe and often expose the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, to heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV). According to recent reports, IDPs in Haiti are facing unbearable living conditions. The lack of security, combined with inadequate infrastructure and poor oversight in camps, has led to a surge in cases of sexual violence, harassment, and exploitation. These acts disproportionately affect women and girls, who become easy targets in such precarious environments. Testimonies reveal painful realities: assaults carried out in the darkness of the camps, a lack of police protection, and widespread impunity for perpetrators. Victims often hesitate to report abuses out of fear of retaliation or due to a lack of resources. In the face of this humanitarian crisis, Witdenm is sounding the alarm. The organization is calling on local authorities, international actors, and civil society organizations to take immediate action to protect IDPs and combat GBV. The crisis of displaced persons in Haiti cannot be ignored. Witdenm is also urging the international community to intensify its efforts to respond to this emergency. Financial and logistical support is urgently needed to improve living conditions for displaced people, while also investing in targeted programs to reduce GBV and protect the most vulnerable. As the number of displaced persons continues to grow, the fight against gender-based violence must be central to the humanitarian response in Haiti. For Witdenm, this is not only about protecting victims, but about restoring their dignity and providing them with a future in a safer environment. The crisis of displaced persons in Haiti is an emergency that demands immediate action. By joining forces, we can prevent further abuse and restore hope to those who need it most.