Haiti’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Fritzner Gaspard, warned of the ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in his country, torn apart by rampant gang violence, during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday. He highlighted the many factors further weakening Haiti’s social fabric, notably the use of rape as a weapon of domination against women and children.
Critically Insufficient Humanitarian Funding
The diplomat stressed that the severity of the crisis in Haiti requires a coordinated, integrated, and sustainable humanitarian response plan, adequately funded with sufficient resources. He expressed deep concern over the weak financing of the UN’s humanitarian response plan for Haiti, which to date has received less than 10% of the required funding. Of the $908 million needed to assist more than 3 million Haitians, only $70 million has been provided by donors.
Internal Displacement and Agricultural Crisis
Gaspard emphasized that humanitarian aid remains a vital necessity, given the large number of internally displaced people fleeing gang violence. While his government has mobilized resources to support more than 200,000 vulnerable families, these efforts remain largely insufficient. Moreover, agricultural production often fails to reach urban centers, exacerbating the crisis.
Prioritizing the Return of Displaced People and Development
The Haitian government urged regional and international partners to prioritize support that enables displaced populations to return home and reduces their long-term dependence on humanitarian aid. The diplomat called for a hybrid approach that combines security, humanitarian, and development assistance, in line with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s proposal.
Essential Logistical and Security Support
On behalf of his government, Mr. Gaspard appealed for secure logistical support to deliver aid, as well as strong backing for revitalizing agriculture and small and medium-sized enterprises. He reminded the Council that resolving the humanitarian crisis cannot be separated from addressing security challenges, and urged Security Council members to act quickly on the Secretary-General’s proposal concerning the UN’s role in the crisis.
The Moving Testimony of Jean-Jean Roosevelt
During the Security Council meeting on August 28, 2025, musician and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jean-Jean Roosevelt was invited to speak. He compared the armed violence tearing Haiti apart to “a broken guitar whose strings produce only tears and cries.” As armed groups seize control of entire neighborhoods, “children now live in a symphony of fear; every alleyway has been turned into a dissonant note.”
Children, the Primary Victims of Violence
Jean-Jean Roosevelt denounced the heavy toll borne by children: forcibly recruited, abused, and used as cannon fodder, as if their youth had no value. “Schools, once sanctuaries, have become minefields,” he said, with classrooms destroyed or converted into shelters for displaced families.
A Call to Act for Haiti’s Future
The artist described this grim reality as “the silent condemnation of an entire generation,” urging the international community to “act so that Haiti can once again have schools, hospitals, and safe spaces” — where children no longer live in fear, but instead “in the promise of tomorrow.”
