At least one million children facing emergency levels of food insecurity in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE/ NEW YORK, 17 APRIL 2025 – Over one million children are facing critical levels of food insecurity in Haiti, UNICEF estimates. Persistent armed violence, repeated displacement, and lack of sufficient humanitarian access continue to threaten vulnerable families – while the risk of famine looms. 

Overall, UNICEF estimates that 2.85 million children – or one quarter of the entire child population in Haiti - are facing consistently high levels of food insecurity across the country, based on the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released this week. Families continue to grapple with significant lack of food and high levels of acute malnutrition. 

“We are looking at a scenario where parents can no longer provide care and nutrition to their children as a result of ongoing violence, extreme poverty, and a persistent economic crisis,” said Geeta Narayan, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. “Life-saving actions, such as screening children at risk for wasting and stunting, and ensuring malnourished children have access to therapeutic treatment, are needed now to save children’s lives.” 

With food insecurity on the rise, the country also faces a growing public health emergency and famine-like conditions affecting an estimated 8,400 people. Health services across the country are under immense pressure, with less than 50 per cent of health facilities in Port-au-Prince being fully operational, and two out of three of the major public hospitals being out of commission. 

The impact on children is severe, with healthcare and life-saving treatment becoming increasingly inaccessible, putting children at greater risk of various forms of malnutrition and preventable disease. 

In much of the country, armed violence has restricted children’s access to food. With worsening food insecurity and unrest, the crisis has resulted in a nutrition crisis for families. 

Yet just as needs intensify, the response is increasingly constrained by funding shortfalls. UNICEF’s nutrition programme under the Humanitarian Action for Children appeal currently faces a critical 70% funding gap, limiting our ability to reach the most vulnerable.

In 2025 so far, UNICEF and its partners have treated over 4,600 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), representing only 3.6% of the 129,000 children projected to need life-saving treatment this year.