Haiti
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and one that faces chronic humanitarian crises. The lack of social services and employment opportunities has worsened existing humanitarian needs, including insufficient food security, health services and protection of civilians. Deteriorating living conditions continue to provoke rural-to-urban migration where overtaxed infrastructures and high unemployment rates further increase poverty and vulnerability. The increase in food and oil prices and the devastating hurricane season in 2008 diminished living conditions even more. Eighty percent of the population lives on less than two US dollars per day.
Haiti is a disaster-prone country. Deforestation has accentuated the risk of flooding and mudslides. Food insecurity will continue to pose a major problem to the population in 2009. Haiti imports 52 percent of its food (including over 80 per cent of its rice), and all of its fuel, leaving it exposed to fluctuations in the global prices of basic commodities. The population will remain food insecure and at risk of malnutrition.
In 2009, OCHA will strengthen the response to humanitarian needs through its field office in Port-au-Prince and with an increased presence in rural areas. On a weekly basis, field officers will monitor humanitarian needs to support the overall efforts of the humanitarian community, thereby strengthening partnership with both international and local organizations on the ground.
Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, OCHA Haiti will continue its support to the UN and Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and work in cooperation with the humanitarian and development focal points of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. It will contribute to the improvement of the overall coordination mechanism, including the strengthening of the cluster approach.
The OCHA Office will strengthen its information management services and improve its information products in line with OCHA’s global information management strategy; and will contribute to the systematic collection and dissemination of information. Based on experiences from 2008, OCHA will significantly strengthen its inter-cluster coordination role to ensure that the Humanitarian Coordinator and humanitarian partners have the support they expect when implementing humanitarian activities.
OCHA will continue to lead the preparedness efforts of the humanitarian community by facilitating regular contingency planning exercises in liaison with the National Disaster Management Authorities (Système National de Gestion des Risques et Désastres) at central and departmental levels.
Key Objectives, Outputs and Indicators
