Haiti is the first country in the Caribbean to undertake the Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS). The Government of Haiti led the implementation of the VACS in 2012, and launched the VACS report in 2014 with strong representation from across government ministries and civil society.

The Ministry of Public Health and Population coordinated the implementation of the VACS with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and support from PEPFAR, UNICEF, and the Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development.

The Haiti VACS surveyed participants living in camp settings following the 2010 earthquake. This implementation included questionnaire adaptations as well as a methodological approach of sampling settlement camps as a separate stratum.

This experience provided Haiti with the ability to understand the particular violence risks of children and adolescents living in a post-disaster camp setting, and to inform prevention and response efforts unique to this population.

Ahead of the survey in Haiti, a qualitative study was conducted to inform and strengthen the VACS, specifically the questionnaire.