Haiti
Haiti liberated itself from French colonisation in the early 19th century. It became the first republic in Latin America to be led by former slaves. However, independence was linked with high financial debts to France and a lack of international recognition. Today, Haiti is in a deep political, economic and humanitarian crisis.
The U-shaped country is regularly hit by devastating natural disasters. The people are subjected to poverty and food insecurity. Caritas Switzerland’s commitment in Haiti began more than 40 years ago in the form of emergency relief. Since then, Caritas projects have included not only emergency aid but also efforts to fight poverty long-term.
Overview in figures
Sources: Human Development Report, UNESCO, UNFPA (as of 2023)
- Total population: 11.7 million
- Poverty index (proportion of people affected by poverty): 41.30%
- Prosperity indicator (total 193 states): rank 158
- Gross National Income per capita: USD 2'802
- Life expectancy at birth: 63.7 years
- Child mortality: 5.6%
- Literacy rate (age 15 and over): 61.7%
- CO2 emissions per capita 0.3 tons
Caritas Switzerland on site
Header image: Combating the precarious food situation is one of the top priorities of Caritas in Haiti. © Phalonne Pierre Louis