The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights raised alarm Friday over the escalating gang violence and deteriorating human rights situation in Haiti, urging all national stakeholders and government authorities to take immediate action.
An interim report presented at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council details a marked increase in gang-related violence in 2024, with criminal organizations expanding their control over key parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other areas. From January to June 2024, at least 2,652 people were killed, including 52 children. An additional 1,280 people were injured, and nearly 900 were kidnapped, highlighting the systematic brutality inflicted upon the population. The human rights abuses were most concentrated in the West Department, with the Artibonite region also severely affected. Earlier this year, three members of the US organization Missions in Haiti were shot and killed by a gang, highlighting the severity of the ongoing crisis.
The UN’s focus on the rule of law in Haiti remains at the forefront of its efforts, as state institutions struggle to respond to this crisis. The collapse of law enforcement has allowed gangs to operate with impunity, attacking public institutions, police stations, and even prisons. Over 4,600 detainees escaped during coordinated gang assaults on Port-au-Prince prisons in March, many of whom rejoined criminal networks, further exacerbating the situation. Haiti’s judicial system is similarly paralyzed, with courts and prosecutorial offices across the country unable to function due to violence and insecurity.
This destabilization has fueled a growing humanitarian crisis. By mid-2024, over 580,000 people had been displaced–many of whom are children–as the gang-controlled territories became uninhabitable. The situation has led to a food security emergency, with an estimated 1.6 million Haitians facing acute food insecurity, exacerbated by disruptions to agricultural production and the loss of over 3,000 hectares of farmland due to gang-related extortion and theft. “This situation is beyond untenable for the people of Haiti,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.
The international community’s obligations under IHL have been brought into sharp focus by the UN’s call for enhanced humanitarian aid and protection for the vulnerable Haitian population. The report urges countries to act swiftly, particularly in preventing the illicit flow of arms into Haiti. Despite a UN-imposed arms embargo, weapons continue to enter the country, fueling gang violence and undermining any efforts to restore order.
