GENEVA – The U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF, has warned that U.S. aid cuts are having an “extreme and immediate” impact on thousands of children in Haiti, as escalating violence fuels the recruitment of young people by armed gangs. More than 1 million Haitians, nearly 10% of the population, have been displaced by ongoing conflict, with gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas.
The cuts follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid under his “America First” policy and the subsequent reduction of over 90% of aid contracts to the U.S. Agency for International Development. Essential services in Haiti, including malnutrition screening for babies, are at risk of being discontinued due to the funding shortfall.
UNICEF also highlighted the alarming recruitment of children by armed groups, with some as young as eight years old being drawn into gang activities. In January alone, 47 schools were destroyed by gangs in the capital, leaving one in seven children out of school.
To address the growing humanitarian crisis, UNICEF has appealed for $38 million to fund education programs, emphasizing that access to education is crucial in preventing child exploitation and breaking the cycle of violence.