Much Achieved but Durable Solutions for the Displaced Remain Biggest Hurdle to Haiti's Recovery
A significant drop in the number of Haitians living in displacement
camps one year on after the devastating earthquake is a welcome
sign of progress in recovery efforts but it still highlights the
massive task of finding durable housing solutions in the most
challenging aspect of the humanitarian response, says IOM.
An IOM country-wide assessment conducted between last November
and January 2011 has found 810,000 people are still living in
informal sites in Port-au-Prince and provinces. This is nearly half
the figure last July of an estimated 1.5 million internally
displaced Haitians. It is also the first time that the camp
population in Haiti has dropped to well below one million.
The assessment, part of IOM's work in leading and coordinating
camp management efforts in post-earthquake Haiti and regularly
carried out, suggests a downward trend in the camp population of
about 100,000 people a month. The largest declines are being
witnessed in the south of the country in rural or semi-urban areas
where housing options are more easily available.
"While these figures seem a positive development, there is a
long way to go. The displacement crisis in Haiti is the most
visible and intractable issue. Getting people out of camps and into
durable housing is key to long-term recovery. However, there are
many obstacles to doing this quickly and for Haitians, solutions
can't come quickly enough," says IOM Director General William Lacy
Swing.
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target="_blank" title="">Displacement Tracking Matrix
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"">IOM Haiti
Although an estimated 200,000 people have left the camps for
transitional shelters, returned to damaged or rebuilt homes or
simply left to live elsewhere, issues over land tenure, rubble, the
lack of land preparation for construction as well as environmental
concerns and risk mapping, are blocking more significant progress
in resolving the displacement crisis.
"We have to acknowledge that life in camps will continue to be a
reality for hundreds of thousands of people in the near future. In
the meantime, the greatest possible efforts are being made to
ensure that the displaced get the continued assistance and
protection they need. As more camps continue to close down, this
includes helping people without homes or livelihoods into more
durable accommodation and into jobs," adds Director General
Swing.
Until more permanent houses can be built, transitional shelters
which can last up to five years are the best option. IOM is
complementing its work to assist the displaced by building 8,110
shelters in the most affected areas. To date, 3,000 shelters have
been completed by IOM.
Although camp management activities have been the least funded
of any humanitarian response in Haiti (43 per cent), IOM and
partners are regularly monitoring 100 per cent of all spontaneous
settlements to track levels of service and to raise awareness on
difficulties that the displaced face. For 2011, the camp management
cluster of humanitarian agencies has appealed for USD 93
million.
This funding will also help to ensure coordination of
sustainable services to an ever increasing number of people
returning to their homes or neighbourhoods.
IOM will also continue its efforts and vigilance in supporting
the fight against the cholera epidemic. As a provider of last
resort in camp management, IOM is implementing anti-cholera actions
in 250 high risk camps including installing water and sanitation,
establishing facilities for oral rehydration posts, distributing
soap and aquatabs. Training has also been given to those in the
camps on awareness, prevention and treatment.
The Organization has also targeted rural areas where there have
been no cholera activities such as in and around Gonaives and Anse
Rouge and is supporting the Haitian government in strengthening its
anti-cholera work at main border crossings. IOM has also
distributed millions of aquatabs, soaps, hygiene items and oral
rehydration salt sachets to partners for their anti-cholera work
and is establishing five regional warehouses to facilitate a
continuous supply of material to areas in need.
"This illustrates IOM's commitment to Haiti. The Organization
has been working here since 1992, adapting its responses to
people's needs at any one time. IOM is in Haiti for the long haul
to assist the displaced and to help find long-term solutions to
their plight. We hope that by the second anniversary of the
earthquake there will be far fewer people in need of a home and at
risk of disease. But we are under no illusions about what can be
achieved when so much still needs to be done," states Director
General Swing.
For additional information:
Jean-Philippe Chauzy
Tel: 41 22 717 9361
Mobile: 41 79 285 4366
E-mail:
"mailto:pchauzy@iom.int">pchauzy@iom.int
Jemini Pandya
Tel: 41 22 717 9486
Mobile: 41 79 217 3374
E-mail:
"mailto:jpandya@iom.int">jpandya@iom.int
Jared Bloch
Tel: 41 22 717 9405
Mobile: 41 79 812 77 34
E-mail:
"mailto:jbloch@iom.int">jbloch@iom.int
ISDN Line : 41 22 788 38 61