The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is deteriorating at a steady pace, leading to a continued and worrying increase in needs. Political and security fluctuations, a recession in the economy, and the collapse of basic services due to the spread of armed violence in the Centre Department have further weakened the country and increased vulnerabilities. In addition to forced displacement, gender-based violence and acute food insecurity, it lacks capacity and resources to deal with extreme weather events. Hurricane Melissa in October 2025 killed at least 46 people, destroyed/damaged nearly 842,400 critical habitats and infrastructure, and severely disrupted livelihoods. 

The significant resurgence of cholera transmission in 2025 contrasts with the downward trend observed in 2024 and accentuates health risks, particularly in the many areas where access to drinking water and sanitation remains limited.

Armed group violence has forced 1.4 million people, around 12 per cent of the population, to flee their homes. Severe food insecurity affects 5.7 million people every day, placing Haiti among the world’s six most severe hunger crises. Attacks on essential services continue, with health facilities and schools regularly targeted and forced to close.

The number of internally displaced persons now account for approximately 12 per cent of the country’s population. Widespread insecurity across the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and its growing reach into regional zones is stifling Haiti’s economy and people’s access to food.  Some 1.9 million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity.

Gender-based violence remains pervasive. Between January and September 2025, 7,472 incidents of gender-based violence were reported— over half of them (56 per cent) were sexual violence. Worse still, 65 per cent of these were collective rapes. Women and girls continue to bear the brunt of this crisis: 76 per cent of the victims were women; 14 per cent were girls under the age of 18. Displaced people are disproportionately affected.

Widespread insecurity has also severely disrupted healthcare across Haiti, forcing the closure of numerous facilities, including maternity wards and operating rooms, and limiting access to emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Nationally, only 10 per cent of health facilities with inpatient capacity remain fully operational. In the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, this figure increases to just 11 per cent despite it being the most populous part of the country.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 225,000 Haitians have been deported back to Haiti, 98 per cent of them from neighbouring Dominican Republic. Deportations are overwhelming response capacities, with many deportees arriving with no family ties, resources, documents or support networks.

With a budget of US$880 million, the Haiti Humanitarian Response Plan seeks to assist 4.2 million people who rely on lifesaving humanitarian assistance. 

The Plan prioritizes urgent interventions in the departments of Ouest, Centre, and Artibonite, where armed violence and migrant deportations drive severe humanitarian needs. The response aims to reduce immediate risks to affected people, stabilize households most affected by repeated shocks, and restore access to essential services. 

In the more stable areas of the Grand Sud and the Grand Nord, which host large numbers of internally displaced people, humanitarian partners will support local integration, ease pressure on host communities, and prevent social tensions, working closely with development entities.