PORT-AU-PRINCE, 1 November (Prensa Latina) The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child today warned of the need to save the lives of Haitian infants from the triple threats of cholera, malnutrition and violence.
The agency expressed concern at the serious violations of human rights, while growing insecurity threatens security, education, access to drinking water, sanitation, health and food.
In addition, most children have not attended school since courses officially resumed on October 3, and the cholera resurgence is putting 1.2 million infants living in areas where cases have been diagnosed at risk.
“The situation is alarming because malnourished children are even more vulnerable to the growing cholera epidemic,” the United Nations Children’s Fund said, warning that nearly 100,000 children under the age of five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
In this context, the economic difficulties of the most vulnerable have increased and disadvantaged families lack access to drinking water, soap or basic sanitation, increasing the likelihood of contracting the disease.
The committee criticized children’s fears of being recruited, kidnapped, injured, raped or killed by gangs and denounced that one in five girls and one in five boys in the capital has been abused.
It also encouraged the authorities to fulfill their human rights obligations, protect minors and facilitate assistance to vulnerable families.
Haiti has plunged into a wave of insecurity and violence at the hands of armed groups that left more than 500 dead in gang clashes from April to July.
Since mid-September, gangs have had limited access to the country’s main oil terminal, crippling economic activity, while many hospitals have closed due to fuel shortages or severely curtailed services.
ro/ane