The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 80 per cent of Haiti’s capital is under the control or influence of gangs. In a report released Friday, OCHA warns the impact of armed violence on the population has reached unprecedented levels, with more than 5.2 million Haitian men, women and children - almost half the population - in need of humanitarian assistance.
While drawing attention to the urgency of the humanitarian situation in its report, OCHA states that the rapid deterioration of the geopolitical and socioeconomic situation in Haiti, characterized by widespread violence, has exacerbated the complex crisis in the country.
The first quarter of 2023 was marked by the expansion and intensification of violence linked to armed groups. OCHA says that around 80 per cent of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area is under the control or influence of armed groups. The presence and influence of gangs have grown exponentially since 2021, particularly following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the earthquake of 14 August 2021 and the security, socio-economic and political unrest that ensued.
Moreover, for several months, armed groups have shown increased levels of organization, including with the use of advanced technological means, such as drones, OCHA reports. This armed violence is reflected in territorial struggles, particularly at the exits and entrances to the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince (PAPMA), and on the strategic roads linking the capital to the various departments.
According to information gathered by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, since the beginning of 2023, a total of 531 people were killed, 300 injured and 277 kidnapped in gang-related incidents that took place mainly in Port-au-Prince (as of mid-March 2023).
Th UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently expressed its grave concern, that extreme violence continues to spiral out of control in Haiti.
“Clashes between gangs are becoming more violent and more frequent, as they try to expand their territorial control throughout the capital and other regions by targeting people living in areas controlled by rivals”, a OHCHR spokesperson said.
Recurrent territorial clashes between rival gangs inside and around Port-au-Prince have forced thousands of people to leave their homes. As of mid-March 2023, at least 160,000 people have been displaced and are in a precarious situation, staying with friends or relatives and having to share meagre resources, according to the UN human rights office. A quarter of those displaced live in makeshift settlements, with very limited access to basic services such as drinking water and sanitation
According to OCHA, at least 1.5 million people, half the capital population, are directly affected by violence and have their freedom of movement and access to basic services hindered. This has serious consequences for the protection of the Haitian population, including sexual violence, in most cases against women, girls and boys.
The increase in gang violence has prompted the Haitian government in 2022 to appeal to the international community for help. The government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry has asked for a rapid reaction force to be sent to Haiti to stop the gang violence. The call was supported by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The UN Security Council has discussed the matter but has not made a decision.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has also called on the international community to urgently consider the deployment of a time-bound specialized support force under conditions that conform to international human rights laws and norms, with a comprehensive and precise action plan.
In Haiti, millions of people need humanitarian aid to fight hunger. The country has a long history of natural disasters and remains highly vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. The socio-political situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, while violence and crime are on the rise, especially in the urban areas of the capital.
Violence, widespread poverty, rising costs of living, low agricultural production, and expensive food imports have exacerbated existing food insecurity in Haiti, leaving many women, men, and children suffering from hunger and malnutrition. According to the latest IPC food security analysis, 4.9 million people - more than 40 percent of the population – are acutely food insecure. About 1.8 million people are suffering from emergency levels of hunger.
The United Nations estimates that more than 5.2 million people (46% of the population) will require humanitarian aid in 2023, including 2.6 million children. Humanitarian organizations estimate that $715 million are needed this year to provide life-saving assistance to people affected by the complex crisis.
Further information
Full text: Haiti : Humanitarian note: The impact of violence, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), report released March 31, 2023
https://reliefweb.int/attachments/510aba84-9cbd-4cc2-ab59-edf008ed9bdf/20230323%20-%20New%20paradigm_30%20March%202023.pdf
Full text: Haiti. IPC Acute Food Insecurity Snapshot, March - June 2023, released March 23, 2023
https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Haiti_AcuteFoodInsec_ProjectionUpdate_Mar_June2023_Snapshot_English.pdf
Full text: Haiti - gang violence, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, statement delivered March 21, 2023
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2023/03/haiti-gang-violence