In a briefing to the UN Security Council on Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres painted a devastating portrait of Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. He described the nation as caught in a "perfect storm of suffering" and urged the international community to act before time runs out, stressing that Haiti remains "shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded."
“The people of Haiti are in a perfect storm of suffering. State authority is crumbling as gang violence engulfs Port-au-Prince and spreads beyond – paralyzing daily life and forcing families to flee”, Guterres said.
“Civilians are under siege with appalling reports of rape and sexual violence. Hospitals and schools are under repeated attack. The rule of law has collapsed.”
Haiti is facing a severe humanitarian crisis driven by escalating violence and the subsequent collapse of essential services. Armed groups have tightened their control over the capital and spread far beyond it, leaving the population devastated by gang violence.
At least 1.3 million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes due to violence, half of whom are children. Since last December, the number of displaced people has increased by 25 percent. Currently, Haiti has the highest percentage of its population displaced by violence — 11 percent.
The ongoing armed violence has brought the country to the brink of collapse. At least half of the population, or 6 million people, including 3.3 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance.
“Aid workers, especially local responders, are being targeted – facing threats of violence, extortion and kidnapping,” Guterres said.
“Let me be clear: all parties must respect international humanitarian law. Humanitarian personnel, assets and facilities must be protected.”
Despite the danger, he added, humanitarians remain on the ground, delivering food, water, medicine, and shelter. In the first quarter of this year alone, they reached 1.3 million people.
However, even with the immense suffering, Haiti remains "shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded", with the global response alarmingly inadequate.
As of today, less than 12 percent of the 2025 Haiti Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been funded, with only US$104 million of the needed $908 million received to support 3.9 million people. This makes Haiti the least funded humanitarian appeal in the world.
“As a result, over 1.7 million people risk receiving no assistance at all. This is not a funding gap. It is a life-and-death emergency,” the UN chief said, urging all donors to act “before lifesaving operations grind to a halt.”
Haiti ranks among the world’s top five hunger hotspots, where people face extreme hunger, starvation, and death. The situation will only worsen unless urgent action is taken swiftly to de-escalate conflict, stop displacement, and provide large-scale aid.
With over half of the population struggling with acute food insecurity, Haiti is facing a severe hunger crisis. The latest food security report shows that a record 5.7 million people are acutely hungry due to relentless gang violence and an ongoing economic collapse.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), over 2 million people in Haiti are experiencing emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4). The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that more than 1 million Haitian children are affected by IPC Phase 4.
Addressing the situation of children, Guterres stated that they are bearing the brunt of this crisis. He also noted that Haiti was among the worst countries in 2024 for grave violations against children.
The Secretary-General dedicated a significant portion of his remarks to their situation. In 2024 alone, the UN verified 2,269 violations against 1,373 children — nearly five times more than the previous year.
These include 213 children killed, 138 maimed, and 302 recruited by armed groups. Alarmingly, there were 566 cases of sexual violence against minors, 160 of which involved gang rape.
“They are abducted and killed, recruited and used, and subjected to horrific sexual violence – including gang rape. These are crimes that scar bodies, minds, and futures,” Guterres said.
The collapse of education and health services has further compounded the crisis. As of April, gang activity had disrupted schooling for nearly a quarter of a million students. Meanwhile, reports of children being detained in harsh conditions for alleged gang ties have raised serious concerns about legal protections and human rights.
Despite the grim picture, Guterres noted fragile signs of political progress.
“I am encouraged by growing cooperation between the President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, and the Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who are both leading consultations to move the political process forward,” he said.
“We are also seeing closer coordination between the Prime Minister’s Task Force, the Haitian National Police, and the Multinational Security Support mission – improving operations on the ground.”
The Secretary-General urged the Council to authorize an international security force with logistical and operational support from the United Nations, noting that voluntary donations alone are insufficient to ensure stability.
“These fragile gains must be protected and expanded. That requires decisive and coordinated international security support – to strengthen national efforts, protect the population, and create the conditions for a return to the rule of law and credible, inclusive elections,” he said.
Guterres also pressed the Council to strengthen enforcement of the arms embargo and expand targeted sanctions on those financing or facilitating gang operations, including traffickers, financiers, and weapons dealers.
“These steps are vital to cut off the weapons and money that sustain chaos. Enforcement – at ports, borders, and online – must be strengthened, in close coordination with regional partners”, he added.
In closing, Guterres appealed to national and international stakeholders alike, urging them to seize what he called "a pivotal moment" for Haiti. He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to the Haitian people and urged the Council to prioritize protecting children and allocating the necessary resources to restore peace, dignity, and security.
“With unity inside the country, and resolve from this Council, the Haitian people can emerge from the perfect storm, begin to turn hardship into hope, and reclaim their future,” he said.
Further information
Full text: Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council - on Haiti, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, remarks, delivered August 28, 2025
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2025-08-28/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-haiti-trilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french