Haiti Appeal

UNICEF Ireland has launched an emergency appeal for the children of Haiti.

"It is clear that the consequences are severe and many children are among the victims," said Melanie Verwoerd, Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland speaking today about the earthquake in Haiti.

UNICEF is sending essential aid – including safe water, sanitation supplies, food, medical supplies and shelter materials - with the first aid delivery flying in this evening into Haiti. "We will also be focusing on children who have become separated from their families to protect them from harm or exploitation," Ms. Verwoerd said.

Thousands of people are feared dead following the massive earthquake in the Caribbean state.Many more are believed to be buried beneath debris following the quake that measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale, the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years according to the US Geological Survey.

The epicentre of the earthquake was only 16km from the country's capital of Port-au-Prince and destroyed many buildings, including the headquarters of the UN Stabilisation Mission and the presidential palace.

Constant struggle

The situation of children and women in Haiti was already marked by great vulnerability before the earthquake hit the island. Haiti is one of the poorest countries on earth. It ranks 148th out of 179 countries on the UNDP’s Human Development Index; is struggling to recover from years of violence, insecurity and instability; and has a long history of being struck by one natural disaster after another.

Haiti’s income distribution is highly skewed, with only one in every 50 Haitians holding a steady, wage-earning job. Access to services is highly unequal: the poorer the child is, the less likely he or she is to have access to basic rights. Far too many Haitian children and women are engaged in a struggle for their right to basic necessities like adequate nutrition, clean water, education and protection from violence.

Haiti also has the second-highest population density in the western hemisphere. Four out of every ten children live in homes with mud floors or in severely overcrowded conditions, with more than five people living in each room. With an estimated 46 per cent of the population under the age of 18, the struggle of Haitian children reverberates throughout society and is bound to have serious consequences far into the future.

This latest catastrophe follows a severe hurricane season in 2008 from which the country is still struggling to recover.

With so many people living in such close quarters – and with access to safe water and sanitation severely compromised even in the best of times – vulnerability to life-threatening, waterborne diseases can skyrocket when a natural disaster strikes. So, too, can difficulties in delivering much-needed food, medical supplies and protection services. Children are the ones most likely to suffer the worst consequences.

For more information on the situation in Haiti, please contact the UNICEF Ireland office on 01-878 3000 or email info@unicef.ie