Haiti

+++ Current events: 15 years after the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010, the population of Haiti is still suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis. WHH Country Director Annalisa Lombardo on the current situation on the ground: "Not a single elected leader holds office in Haiti, while armed groups threat to overrun the country. Vital infrastructures, such as Port-au-Prince's largest private hospital, have been burnt down despite the presence of the police. Gangs' violence forcibly displaces people. Nearly half the Haitian population, or almost 5.5 million people, is facing acute food insecurity, with 2 million experiencing severe hunger. It is pivotal for the international community to put Haiti back on its agenda and increase funding to ensure safe and unfettered humanitarian access. Without immediate action, the hunger crisis in Haiti will continue to deepen." +++ Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has not yet recovered from the effects of the severe earthquake of 2010. In the years 2021–2023, 50.4% of the population suffered from undernourishment. The rural population in particular suffers from hunger and poverty, and crop yields are not sufficient to survive. Drinking water is scarce, and people have no reserves for emergencies. In the last decades, the frequency and severity of hurricanes, floods and landslides have increased, partially as a result of human activity: Forests, which otherwise provide a measure of protection from water and mud, were cleared for use as firewood in many places.