United Nations, Aug 8 (IANS): The ongoing violence in Haiti continues to threaten the wellbeing of children and women, with nearly 300 cases of confirmed kidnappings in the first six months of 2023, the Unicef said.

In a report on Monday, the UN body said the current figure is nearly the total number registered for all of 2022, and three times more than 2021.

In most instances, children and women are forcefully taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical gains and victims who manage to return home grapple with deep physical and psychological scars, possibly for many years, Unicef said.

The overall situation in Haiti is catastrophic, with an estimated 5.2 million people, or close to half of the entire population, requiring humanitarian assistance, including almost three million children.

In addition to children and women being taken from the streets and exposed to deep trauma and distress, reports also indicate that local healthcare systems are teetering on the brink of collapse and schools are under attack, keeping civilians under constant terror, Unicef said.

“The stories we are hearing from Unicef colleagues and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable," the UN agency's Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Garry Conille said.

"Women and children are not commodities. They are not bargaining chips. And they must never be exposed to such unimaginable violence. The growing trend in kidnappings and abductions is extremely worrisome, threatening both the people of Haiti and those who have come to help.”

Unicef also urgently called for the immediate release and safe return of all those who have been kidnapped in Haiti and reiterated its commitment to delivering critical aid and support for Haitian children who have been impacted by these traumatic events.