Port-au-Prince/Geneva — June 5, 2026 — Haiti is facing its worst displacement crisis on record, with nearly 1.5 million people forced from their homes due to escalating violence, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than half of those displaced are women and girls, underscoring the deepening humanitarian emergency.
Recent clashes in Cité Soleil displaced over 18,000 people in May, pushing the number of internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince above 300,000 for the first time. Violence has also spread into areas once considered safe, including the South-East Department, where more than 5,000 people were uprooted in recent weeks.
The crisis is compounded by forced returns, with over 110,000 Haitians sent back since January 2026, many arriving in fragile communities already struggling to absorb new arrivals. Vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied children, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities face heightened risks in overcrowded sites lacking shelter, clean water, and healthcare.
IOM Chief of Mission Gregoire Goodstein warned: “Haiti’s displacement crisis is entering an even more alarming phase. As violence spreads into areas once considered safe, more and more people are being forced to flee repeatedly, often with nowhere left to turn.”
With the Atlantic hurricane season underway, humanitarian concerns are mounting as flooding and severe weather threaten already fragile living conditions. Overcrowded displacement sites remain particularly vulnerable to worsening conditions.
Despite insecurity, IOM continues to deliver life-saving assistance, including emergency shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, water and sanitation services, and site management. Sustained investment in humanitarian aid, recovery, and resilience is urgently needed to help communities rebuild and reduce the risk of repeated displacement.
