UN calls for international action to address Haiti human rights crisis News
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UN calls for international action to address Haiti human rights crisis

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned on Thursday that the alarming human rights situation in Haiti requires immediate international assistance to save the population from a serious human rights crisis. The OHCHR emphasized that the only way to address the situation is to consolidate the UN’s efforts to restore law and public order in the Caribbean country, which requires increased financial support and the re-establishment of state institutions.

According to the OHCHR, the main cause of Haiti’s human rights crisis is the rise of gang violence coupled with the lack of effective government authority. Poor governance and corruption eroded the citizens’ trust in public institutions and fostered a prevailing culture of impunity for criminal activities. Meanwhile, armed groups have taken control of the majority of the capital, leading to the destruction of vital infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.

The ongoing gang violence also had devastating effects on Haiti’s younger generations who have experienced extreme violence, including kidnapping, murder, and sexual abuse of women and girls. Moreover, many of the fighting gang members are teenagers and children who were coerced into joining these groups to escape poverty and limited job prospects, compounded by the country’s economic crisis. Recruiting children as soldiers in armed conflicts is prohibited under International law. The OHCHR stressed that these children needed psychological support and access to rehabilitation to help them recover from the trauma of such violence.

Furthermore, the OHCHR noted that the continuous flow of arms to Haiti, despite the UN arms embargo, exacerbated the crisis as weapons eventually ended up in the possession of gangs. This uninterrupted arms supply not only fueled violent clashes and insecurity in Haiti but also impacted neighboring countries and fostered organized crime.

In response to the insecurity and the human rights crisis in Haiti, the UN created the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). This office plays an advisory role to the Government of Haiti and aims to promote good governance and strengthen the country’s law enforcement institutions. In this mission, the OHCHR highlighted the need to enhance the judiciary by creating specialized judicial units to prosecute those responsible for corruption, sexual abuse and mass crimes.

Haiti has been facing an escalating human rights crisis since 2020 due to violent gang wars. The fighting gangs have taken control of the majority of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and expanded their control to other regions, plunging the country into a dire humanitarian situation that includes internal displacement, the destruction of healthcare facilities, food scarcity, thousands of deaths and human rights violations. In response, the UN Security Council established a Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti in 2023 to curb the violence and restore security. Additionally, a group of Guatemalan and Salvadoran soldiers joined this mission in January 2025 to support the Haitian police’s efforts to combat crime and violence. Nevertheless, the OHCHR reported that gang violence in Haiti reached alarming levels in 2024 with an increase in fatalities compared to the previous year.

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