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A recent report from the United Nations' human rights office underscores the urgent need to address the escalating crisis in Haiti, which has been deeply impacted by widespread gang violence following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. The report highlights how criminal organizations are exploiting the situation, recruiting children, and using sexual violence to intimidate and control their victims.
The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated significantly since President Moise's assassination, creating a power vacuum within the country.
Last April, the U.N.'s Human Rights Council tasked its High Commissioner with producing a report on the human rights situation in Haiti.
Published recently, the report covers the period from September to February and identifies gang violence as the primary driver of human rights abuses in Haiti.
It emphasizes the need for dialogue to pave the way for free and fair elections.
The report also calls for the urgent deployment of a multinational security support mission to bolster the Haitian National Police and restore security.
It reveals that violence in Haiti surged in 2023, with over 4,400 people killed and nearly 2,000 kidnapped. The first two months of this year alone saw 1,436 victims of gang violence, including 686 fatalities, 371 injuries, and 379 kidnappings.
Gangs have expanded their influence beyond the capital, engaging in clashes to maintain control over territories.
The report also highlights how corruption has facilitated the trafficking of weapons and ammunition into the country. Additionally, the recruitment of children into gangs remains a critical issue.
Male children are often used as lookouts for kidnappings and robberies, while female children are forced to perform domestic chores and act as spies. Despite expressing a desire to leave the gangs, children are often prevented from doing so due to fear of reprisals.
The report also documents instances where children who managed to leave were later executed.
Sexual violence is used as a tool of fear and punishment by gangs. Women and girls have been subjected to rape in broad daylight, and some are forced into exploitative sexual relationships under threat of death.
The report notes that sexual violence remains severely underreported due to stigma, fear, and a lack of trust in the justice system.
The report also highlights other human rights violations resulting from gang violence, including the internal displacement of approximately 313,900 people.
It underscores the need for a multinational security support mission, stating that the local police force lacks the capability to deter, arrest, and disarm heavily armed gangs with superior firepower.
The situation in Haiti has further deteriorated, with recent attacks on prisons leading to a state of emergency declaration and the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The prime minister acknowledged the increase in violence and emphasized the government's commitment to addressing the crisis.