Food insecurity in Haiti in 2023: The “Zanmi Timoun” Foundation is increasingly concerned about the situation of children

In 2023, the deterioration of national security hinders the access of Haitian households to agricultural production and commercial activities. While the food supply of these households depends largely on these two poles, i.e. 61% of the Haitian economy according to the National Food Security Council (CNSA). Indeed, this is what leads to acute malnutrition affecting the country, whose children are the most vulnerable. The majority of the population is food insecure at level 3 out of 5 of the classification according to the World Food Program (WFP). Faced with this chronic situation, one in five children currently presents a form of severe malnutrition in the world, reports the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in 2019. In Haiti, if the year 2022, no less than 87,500 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition, for the year 2023 the figure could increase to 115,000 children, we can read in a press release from UNICEF in May 2023.

However, the fight against hunger and malnutrition is a legally binding obligation for the Haitian State. Because article 24 of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), requires States parties to provide adequate and nutritious food to children. The State has an obligation to protect children and the population in general against food insecurity caused on the one hand by difficulties in accessing agricultural products which are insufficient. On the other hand, the Haitian State also has the responsibility to guarantee commercial exchanges throughout the national territory, by establishing a climate of security and peace so that traders stop being kidnapped and ransomed. , raped, killed or subjected to all other forms of violence.

Given this alarming observation, the “Zanmi Timoun” Foundation as a watchdog demands that the Haitian State take urgent measures to relieve the situation of households

Done in Port-au-Prince, August 9, 2023

Manoach PRESNA
Program Manager
Tel: 509 3746 7196 / 3396 1778