Children of Haiti: Two years after. What is changing? Who is making the change?

Two years after an earthquake flattened Haiti, the country’s children are slowly experiencing improvements in their living standards despite continuing challenges, this report says. There is clear evidence of healing and progress for children in the areas of education, health, nutrition and child protection. According to the study, UNICEF has helped more than 750,000 children return to school and more than 80,000 of them are now attending classes in the 193 quake-resistant schools constructed by the UN agency. In addition, more than 15,000 malnourished children have received care through therapeutic feeding programmes. However, the report also warns that more than 500,000 Haitians remain displaced in over 800 displacement sites across the quake-affected areas, and that continuing gaps in the funding for recovery programmes will affect overall progress on child rights in 2012. As a result, UNICEF is requesting over US$ 24 million in its 2012 Consolidated Appeal to address immediate humanitarian support to vulnerable children while another $30 million will be needed for longer-term development assistance.