Before the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti, chronic
poverty, lack of infrastructure and poor performance
on key health indicators had long threatened the
well-being of Haiti’s children. Though Haiti ratified the
United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child
in 1994,1 this nation has the highest mortality rates among
infants, children less than five years of age and mothers in
the Western hemisphere.2 Only 50% of primary school-aged
children are enrolled in school, and less than 2% complete
secondary school.2 Adult life expectancy is a mere 61 years,
and the national HIV prevalence is 2.2%