[child-rights] Violence in Haiti denies many children health care and education, UNICEF says

VIOLENCE IN HAITI DENIES MANY CHILDREN HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION, UNICEF SAYS
New York, Feb 24 2004  5:00PM

With malnutrition and disease the major causes of children's deaths in
armed conflicts, the violence in Haiti is denying many children basic
public services and threatening their lives, the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) said today.

"Children are always the most vulnerable in conflict situations and Haiti's
children were already extremely vulnerable," UNICEF representative
Francoise Gruloos said in Port-au-Prince. "We need to make sure these
children are protected and not forgotten amidst the civil disorder."

One child in 10 in Haiti dies before the age of five. One in 20 is born
underweight and only half receive routine immunization. Meanwhile, schools
are being closed in several areas, UNICEF said.

"Schools should be treated as zones of peace," said UNICEF Executive
Director Carol Bellamy, speaking from New York. "Especially in times of
crisis, schools can provide a safe haven for children. Haiti's children are
depending on adults to protect and preserve their future."

A UN inter-agency team that went to assess the humanitarian situation in
Port-de-Paix and Cap Haitien on 19 February reported that both towns had
severe shortages of fuel and essential medicines, while malnutrition was
increasing and prices rising, UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said at the daily
press briefing.

Distributing food aid "has been complicated by the looting of 800 tons of
produce from the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Cap Haitien
yesterday after rebel forces took over the city," he added.





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