Ankara: The number of people displaced by violence and insecurity in Haiti has reached a record 1.4 million, the highest ever recorded in the country.
According to Anadolu Agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported in its latest Displacement Tracking Matrix that forced displacement has risen 36% since the end of 2024, as gang-related violence continues to spread beyond the national capital of Port-au-Prince.
Nearly two-thirds of new displacements have occurred in the Centre and Artibonite departments. Gregoire Goodstein, IOM's mission chief in Haiti, emphasized the need for increased and sustained response, highlighting the generosity of Haitian communities hosting displaced people and calling for renewed international support.
The report notes that 85% of displaced Haitians are being hosted by local families, many of whom are already struggling with scarce resources. The number of spontaneous displacement sites has increased significantly, from 142 in December to 238 as of October.
Women and children are the most vulnerable, making up more than half of the displaced population. Many families have been separated, as parents send their children to safer areas to protect them from the violence.
Communities along the border with the Dominican Republic are also under increasing strain, with more than 207,000 deported Haitians returning since January amid worsening insecurity.
In response, IOM has expanded humanitarian operations beyond Port-au-Prince, providing emergency shelter, clean water, health services, mental health support, and livelihood assistance to affected families. The UN agency is collaborating with authorities and communities to rebuild public infrastructure and promote social reintegration programs aimed at long-term stability.
The IOM has urged the international community to increase funding to ensure urgent aid reaches those most in need, warning that without immediate and sustained support, the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced and deported Haitians will only worsen.