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September 24,2021

Andrew Campbell 

On September 23rd, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) voiced concerns that over two in three of Haitian migrants banished from the United States border recently are women and children, even including newborns.

As the poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti suffered from the “triple tragedy”- natural catastrophe, gang violence and the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the president’s assassination in July, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August killed over 2,000 people, and Tropical Storm Grace aggravated the sufferings. Therefore, thousands of Haitians have escaped from their homeland but reeling from some of the US government’s deportations.

Besides prompting the governments to avoid using forces to reunite families, and appraise migrants’ protection acquirements before any repatriating decision is made, UNICEF will coordinate with the authorities and the International Organization for Migration, and offer psychosocial support, protection services and education supplies to the returning children in Haiti.