Haiti: UN experts urge stepped-up protection for child quake victims

United Nations independent experts today voiced concern about the impact of the Haitian earthquake’s impact on the country’s children, who are always the most vulnerable to any disasters.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child highlighted that children will inevitably face many hazards in the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude quake, which struck Haiti on 12 January and is believed to have impacted one third of its 9-million strong population.

“Children are always deeply affected by major disasters of this type, and almost half of the Haitian population are children,” the experts said in a news release.

Although the international community’s initial response to the quake is encouraging, the Committee called for special attention to be paid to the needs of children.

Access to clean water and sanitation is crucial to avoiding the spread of communicable diseases, which can be especially dangerous to young people.

It is also vital that food aid reaches children, not just those who are best placed to receive it – usually adults.

The Committee also expressed its concern over the thousands of children who have been separated by their families in the earthquake. “It is imperative they are identified as soon as possible and provided with care and protection both to avoid further trauma and to minimize violations of their rights.”

There have been reports of looting and violence in Port-au-Prince, underscoring the need to protect children from exploitation, including sexual abuse and abductions masquerading as adoptions.

The 18-member Committee on Rights of the Child monitors a key global treaty enshrining the rights of children, which has been ratified by 193 States so far.