In brief
The United Nations agency fears for the safety of over one million children who now face the grave threat of violence within the confines of their own neighborhoods.
Haiti is currently grappling with a shocking increase in sexual violence against children, which has surged by 1,000% since 2023 according to a report from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This alarming rise is attributed to the increasing power and control gangs have over large areas of the country, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where approximately 85% of the area is reported to be gang-controlled. James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, emphasized the horrifying transformation of children’s lives, stating their bodies are being "turned into battlegrounds." He recounted the distressing story of a 16-year-old girl, who was kidnapped while shopping, subjected to horrific abuse for nearly a month before being released when her family could not fulfill ransom demands.The impact of gang violence extends beyond sexual assault; it contributes to a broad collapse of law and order, a dire shortage of health services, food insecurity, and disrupted education for children. Over 5,600 individuals lost their lives to gang-related violence last year. Haiti's transitional presidential council, established to guide the nation towards elections and restore democratic governance, remains mired in dysfunction, complicating the efforts to address the crises at hand. Reports indicate that gangs are not only instilling fear in the community but are also forcibly recruiting children, with some as young as eight being identified as gang members.UNICEF is attempting to mitigate these issues through the establishment of mobile safe spaces for children, aiming to provide protection against sexual violence. However, despite requesting $221.4 million to carry out these humanitarian efforts, they received only 25% of the needed funds last year. As global foreign aid encounters freezes, concerns mount that Haiti’s dire humanitarian needs will once again go unaddressed.
