IRC Report: 73% of Haitian Households Feel Unsafe; 60% Pulled Children from School Due to Gang Threats

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) published a damning assessment of conditions in Haiti on April 16, 2026, documenting the total collapse of public safety, health, and education services as gang violence expanded nationwide. Key findings: 73% of households report feeling unsafe where they sleep; 60% of households have removed children from school due to fears of kidnapping or forced gang recruitment; 75% of households cannot afford health services; more than one-third of households skip water treatment, risking cholera and typhoid outbreaks. The IRC confirmed gang-controlled groups hold nearly all of Port-au-Prince and were gaining ground in surrounding regions. The IRC called on the international community to urgently fund the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which had received only approximately 20% of its $880 million target. The report painted a picture of compound crises: insecurity preventing access to services, hunger preventing school attendance, and healthcare collapse leaving victims of violence without treatment.