Haiti – Security: A UN expert alarmed by the situation of children
01/11/2023 09:18:07
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William O’Neill, Expert on the human rights situation in Haiti who has just concluded his official visit to the country, gave a press conference yesterday Tuesday, where he said he was alarmed by the worrying situation that is rapidly expanding into other departments, notably Artibonite and North-West.
“Murders, injuries and kidnappings are the daily prerogative of the population. Sexual violence against women and girls remains endemic and no progress in access to services and justice for survivors has been recorded since my last visit.
I am particularly concerned about the impact of insecurity and violence on children. The testimonies received are edifying. An entire generation seems to have been sacrificed by the violence and the future of a country threatened by the dramatic situation of its youth. I urge the authorities to give priority attention to the situation of children. Many have suffered – and continue to suffer – serious violence and violations of their rights. They are also victims of a catastrophic humanitarian situation with access to health, water, food and education seriously hampered. This is particularly the case in disadvantaged neighborhoods, under the control of gangs and deserted by the State. I have received numerous reports that many children are suffering from wasting, the deadliest form of malnutrition. More than 500,000 young people do not have access to education. Many children in these neighborhoods are recruited by gangs, due to lack of opportunities or fear of reprisals.
The Haitian justice system remains dysfunctional and inadequate to protect children in danger or to judge minors in conflict with the law. The juvenile court is paralyzed. I visited the juvenile prison of Port-au-Prince, Cermicol, and noted the alarming prison overcrowding, with an occupancy rate exceeding 350%, but also the unsanitary conditions and the lack of access to drinking water exposing children to diseases. 99% of minors detained in prison have not been convicted, most are in prolonged preventive detention. They have been incarcerated for years for stealing a chicken, shoes or a telephone, without having seen a judge. I was nevertheless encouraged by the creation of an intergovernmental commission responsible for helping to relieve prison congestion. We need results quickly,” said the expert.
He also says he is concerned about “the situation of internally displaced people (…) There are at least 200,000 displaced people in Haiti. Many find themselves in inhumane living conditions, without access to basic services, surviving in makeshift camps. I have received appalling testimonies from children and elderly people who sleep on the ground, near piles of garbage and without access to drinking water. I also heard testimonies from women and girls who were victims of repeated rape, without access to care. The State must assume its responsibilities to prevent violations and abuses of human rights but also to protect its population, in particular the most vulnerable populations.
HL/HaitiFree
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