New Analysis: In Haiti’s Capital, Displacement Sites Strain Under Violence, Hunger, and Loss of Livelihoods
As violence continues to drive displacement across Haiti, new analysis from Mercy Corps highlights worsening conditions for families living in displacement sites across Port-au-Prince and underscores the risks of prolonged instability and lack of economic opportunity.
1.4 million people in Haiti are uprooted nationwide, including 680,000 children. In the capital, where many have fled in search of safety, conditions are increasingly fragile, particularly for women and children.
Drawing on interviews across five displacement sites, the analysis finds:
95.6% of respondents say they do not feel safe where they are living
Nearly 1 in 3 women (30.7%) report experiencing physical or sexual violence
99.1% report having no income since displacement
96.5% of women and 87.5% of children are eating fewer than two meals per day
Displacement sites are critical lifelines for families fleeing violence, but gaps in basic services, protection systems, and livelihoods are leaving many in precarious conditions, with limited options to rebuild their lives.
Children are particularly affected: just 34.2% are currently attending school, raising serious concerns about long-term impacts on safety, well-being, and development.
Mercy Corps warns that as attention shifts to other crises globally, sustained support for Haiti remains essential.
Laurent Uwumuremyi, Mercy Corps Country Director for Haiti, said:
“Families in Port-au-Prince are facing an impossible situation — without safety, without reliable access to food, and without opportunities to earn an income. When people cannot meet their basic needs or see a path forward, the impacts do not stay contained; they ripple outward, affecting stability far beyond any one community.
At a time when global attention and funding are stretched, it is critical that Haiti is not overlooked. Investments in safety, livelihoods, and basic services are essential to support communities urgently, and to help prevent deeper and more widespread instability.”
Mercy Corps has worked in Haiti since 2010, providing emergency assistance, supporting livelihoods, and strengthening protection for communities facing violence, economic shocks, and climate-related crises.
For more information, please contact:
Natalie Fath, Director of Communications, on the East Coast, U.S., at nfath@mercycorps.org
Yasmeen Alamiri, Director of Communications, Washington, D.C. at yalamiri@mercycorps.org
Our full media team is reachable at allmediarelations@mercycorps.org