Executive summary
Heightened gang violence since 12 August 2023 in the neighbourhoods of Carrefour-Feuilles and Savanes Pistache in Port-au-Prince triggered significant relocations of subscriber residents from these zones and neighbouring areas.
Estimates derived from Digicel Call Detail Records (CDR) data suggest that at least 5,366 Digicel subscribers may have left the affected area between 12 August 2023 and 19 August 2023 (or about 23.7% of the subscribers residing in the affected area). Most of these subscribers have sought refuge in nearby neighbourhoods within the Port-au-Prince commune. Smaller proportions have relocated to the communes of Delmas and Petion-Ville, with a minimal number shifting to Carrefour. Notably, 32 neighbourhoods experienced more than 50 displaced subscribers. Rankings are detailed in Table 1 on Page 2 of the report, showcasing the areas most impacted by this subscriber residents shift.
About this report
Authors & contributors
This report was authored by the Flowminder Foundation, by Robert Eyre and Veronique Lefebvre, with the contribution of James Harrison, Sophie Delaporte, Galina Veres, Xavier Vollenweider and Francky Salomon.
Robert Eyre analysed, interpreted and wrote the report; Veronique Lefebvre directed the analysis; James Harrison produced the aggregates derived from CDR data; Sophie Delaporte supported with writing, translation and data visualisation; and Galina Veres, Xavier Vollenweider and Francky Salomon supported with report writing.
This study was made possible thanks to the anonymised (aggregated) Call Detail Records provided by Digicel Haiti.
Data
The analyses in this report use Call Detail Records (CDRs) provided by Digicel Haiti.
For billing purposes, mobile operators keep track of subscribers’ activity. These records are generated every time a subscriber makes or receives a call, sends or receives an SMS, or uses mobile data on their phone. They are called Call Detail Records (CDRs). CDRs contain information about the location of the cell tower that routes the call. These data can be analysed in near real time and provides insight into mobility patterns locally and across a country based on the location of those cell towers. For more information on CDR data, please visit our FlowGeek website.
This report is based on the results of an analysis of CDR data provided by Digicel Haiti. CDRs are aggregated and anonymised within Digicel Haiti’s firewall using FlowKit, and then analysed by Flowminder.
Data considerations
The estimates shown are our best current assessment of movements. However, there are a number of uncertainties. The information should be interpreted together with other available evidence.
Read the report (PDF) (in English)
For the French version, click here.