Port-au-Prince, Haiti – Gang violence in Haiti has resulted in the displacement of more than 300,000 children since March, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund. The ongoing violence has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation, where killings and kidnappings are rampant.
Children make up over half of the nearly 580,000 individuals who have been forced out of their homes in the past four months. The surge in violence began in late February following coordinated attacks on government infrastructure, prompting Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s resignation in April.
With gangs now controlling around 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and its key access routes, over 2,500 people have been killed or injured across Haiti in the first quarter of the year. This has left many children living in precarious conditions, including makeshift shelters in unsanitary schools, putting them at risk of various diseases.
UNICEF has highlighted the urgent need for a safe environment for displaced children, who are being forced to join violent gangs for survival due to lack of access to basic necessities like food, healthcare, and clean water. Additionally, school closures have exacerbated the dropout rate among children in Haiti.
Amid the crisis, the arrival of hundreds of Kenyans in Haiti to assist in combating the armed gangs has drawn mixed reactions. The impact of previous U.N. peacekeeping missions in Haiti, which were marred by allegations of introducing cholera and sexual misconduct, has raised concerns about the effectiveness of external interventions.
In a meeting between U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer and Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, discussions centered on the deployment of a U.N.-backed mission to address the escalating violence in Haiti. The U.S. reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and oversight mechanisms as part of the mission.
Adding to the challenges faced by Haiti, the country is bracing for a potentially severe hurricane season, which began earlier than usual. As Hurricane Beryl approached the Caribbean Sea, a tropical storm watch was issued for the southern coast of Haiti, further complicating the already dire situation in the country.