UN Expert Warns of Alarming Impact of Violence on Children

William O'Neill, an expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, said Tuesday he was alarmed by the worrying situation of violence that is spreading rapidly to other departments, particularly Artibonite and the Northwest.

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In statements to the press, the UN expert, who has just concluded his official visit to the country, was particularly concerned about the impact of insecurity and violence on children.

"An entire generation seems to have been sacrificed to violence, and the future of a country is threatened by the dramatic situation of its young people," he said.

He highlighted the figure of more than 500,000 young people who have no access to education. The UN expert noted that many children are recruited by gangs, either for lack of opportunities or for fear of reprisals.

The UN official revealed that, during his visit to the juvenile detention center in Port-au-Prince, he had found alarmingly that the center was overcrowded, with an occupancy rate of more than 350%. 

He stressed that unsanitary conditions and lack of access to clean water exposed children to disease.

It should be noted that 99% of incarcerated minors have not been convicted, and most are in prolonged pretrial detention.

The UN expert said he was also concerned about the situation of internally displaced persons, of whom there are at least 200,000 in Haiti.

William O'Neill urged an imminent deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission - under strict conditions of respect and protection of human rights - to alleviate the suffering of the population.