General information

About the mission

Launch date: 1985
Local staff : 29
Expatriates : 4

Key facts

Population: 9.5 million inhabitants (2007)
Human Development Index : Ranking 148 out of 177

Humanitarian context

Haiti was the world's first black republic and the first Caribbean state to achieve independence, but a succession of authoritarian regimes, civil wars, foreign occupations and putsches have left it one of the poorest countries worldwide.

For years, Haitians have lived in abject poverty and have had to gradually adapt to living in extremely difficult conditions. In addition, Haiti is prone to natural disasters and lies in the middle of the hurricane belt. Devastating cyclones have created serious humanitarian emergencies.

Agriculture has been in decline for several decades now; this is mainly due to ever-decreasing productivity, which is linked to deforestation and poor climatic conditions in the region as well as a lack of resources for farmers and the State.

The presidential and parliamentary elections held in 2006 marked the end of the period of transition that had begun in 2004 after the departure of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. René Préval – the ex-Prime Minister of Aristide and President from 1996 to 2001 – won the presidential election on 7th February.

If Haiti experiences any crisis or emergency, the likelihood is that it will be chronic rather than acute. The numerous problems affecting the country are more structural than circumstantial. Low productivity, very poor infrastructure and limited access to services, constant political instability and significant environmental destruction represent the many factors which make the Haitian population particularly vulnerable to disasters (natural or man-made) and to the genuine humanitarian threats they pose.

Action Against Hunger in Haiti

After ten years of carrying out emergency health and nutrition activities, Action Against Hunger set up programmes in the social and medical sectors in 1998. Since 2001, Action Against Hunger has focused on the provision of drinking water through its water, hygiene and sanitation programmes. Food security programmes aim not only to provide immediate aid during crises, but especially to give people the means to regain self-sufficiency in the long-term. For three years, Action Against Hunger teams have intervened both in emergencies and with a view to "rehabilitation" in Port de Paix, Gonaïves, Anse Rouge and Jérémie.

Port de Paix

Water, sanitation and hygiene

• Reconstruction of water networks
• Training local people to maintain the networks
• Strengthening the capacity of local authorities in the management of networks

• Hygiene promotion

Port de Paix and Saint Louis du Nord

Positioning in the field of risk and disaster management

• Responding to humanitarian emergencies in the wake of natural disasters
• Creation of emergency stock
• Reducing risks or probable effects
• Reinforcing the regional civil protection committee
• Providing information and increasing awareness of risk and disaster management

Positioning in the field of prevention

• Improving access to drinking water (Port de Paix)
• Improving access to basic sanitary installations (Port de Paix)
• Improving knowledge and practices relating to hygiene (Port-de-Paix, Saint Louis du Nord)
• Studying the link between poverty, rural exodus and the environmental impact

Funding

EU, UNICEF, the City of Paris, private donations