Adem Vosuranu, United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs OCHAbriefed reporters on his recent mission to the Caribbean island nation, where violent armed gangs control large swaths of the region.
The worsening crisis is marked by increasing insecurity, deepening protection needs, large-scale displacement, shocking levels of gender-based violence (GBV) and a challenging operating environment for the United Nations and partners.
family, not statistics
OCHA is sounding the alarm More than half of Haiti’s population, 6.4 million people, now need humanitarian assistance.
Some 5.7 million people are going hungry, families are going without food and children are also dropping out of school to support their families, while 1.5 million people – 12 percent of the population – are displaced.
“These are not abstract statistics,” she said. “These represent uprooted families, displaced families; Lost Children – many people who have lost their familiar homes”
violence and insects
Ms Vosurnu, director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, was in Haiti from 16-20 March and said “the situation has changed significantly” since her last mission two years ago.
He traveled to the capital Port-au-Prince, which is 90 percent under gang control, and to other places such as the Center department, where a recent wave of violence has killed about 80 people and forced 13,000 to flee.
The experienced humanitarian visited crowded displacement sites, It also includes a school that normally accommodates 400 students but now shelters about 2,800..
“They described insects coming out at night, cockroaches, rashes on children’s skin,” he said. “The ground I was walking on (was) the same place where people were sleeping at night.”
In Haiti, a country that gives importance to education, 1,600 schools are closed due to insecurity.
“Schools mean a lot to the people of Haiti,” he said. “So, 1,600 schools closed, 250,000 children missing out on education, that’s a big deal.”
Adem Vosornu, Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, looks at a poster for a gender-based violence awareness campaign.
protect women and girls
The plight of women and girls is “particularly appalling” and represents a security crisis.
“Last year, 8,100 survivors of gender-based violence recorded – 25 percent increase compared to last year. Half of the reported cases were related to rape,” she said.
At one point he met a 16-year-old girl and her three-month-old baby, describing them as “children holding babies in their arms”. The girl was displaced, with no idea where her parents and siblings were. A man offered to take care of her but instead abused her.
The girl presented another stark statistic, viz. One in six survivors of GBV is under the age of 18. Ms Vosornu also spoke to women whose “bright eyes” reflected their trauma.
Yet due to a lack of humanitarian funding for GBV, only 30 percent of survivors receive medical assistance or psychological support within the critical 72 hours after sexual violence.
commitment to deliver
Amid the devastation in Haiti, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners are continuing to help the population. Aid teams include national staff, many of whom are themselves displaced and at risk but remain committed to their work.
“They sometimes interact with the same armed actors we’re talking aboutDelivering aid to areas that are extremely difficult to reach,” she said.
Humanitarians are seeking $880 million to help 4.2 million people in Haiti this year amid ongoing cuts in foreign aid. So far less than 20 percent has been received.
haiti can’t wait
Ms. Vosornau concluded her remarks by making three pleas “because the people of Haiti cannot wait.”
He called for an end to violence, “Aid is running out” and continued support for humanitarian operations as a political solution to end the crisis.
He said, “We must be honest. Humanitarian aid alone cannot change the destiny of the Haitian people and the trajectory of Haiti.”
“Continued investment in essential services can create solutions for people. Haiti’s courage is undeniable. Our support, as always, is essential.”
Adem Vosornu (second from right), Director of OCHA’s Crisis Response Division, on his visit to Haiti in March 2026.
