A new report published on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights Office details the human rights impacts of the expanding reach of gangs in Haiti, including their control over key sea and road routes amid persistent deadly violence. The violence involves gangs, security forces, private security contractors, and self-defense groups, The majority of those killed are at the hands of security forces.
Over the past twelve months, gangs have pushed beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince, into its outskirts and north into the Artibonite and Centre departments. The report finds that gangs have been able to "fortify strategic corridors and maintain dominance over critical maritime and overland routes that sustain their financing and operational resilience."
More than 5,500 people killed in Haiti
According to data verified by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), more than 5,500 people were killed and more than 2,600 were injured in Haiti between March 2025 and mid-January 2026.
āViolence perpetrated by gangs has resulted in at least 1,424 people killed; operations against gangs led by security forces have caused at least 3,497 people to be killed; and attacks against gangs by self-defense groups have caused at least 598 people to be killed,ā OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado said Tuesday in Geneva.
āGangs have terrorized the population by killing and kidnapping people, trafficking children, stealing at illegal checkpoints, extorting money from businesses, and destroying and ransacking public and private properties.ā
These armed groups targeted individuals who were perceived as cooperating with the police or defying their authority. Some victims were executed and their bodies were often doused with gasoline and burned. Others were subjected to gang-organized "trials," held captive, and sometimes forced to pay fines for their release.
Hurtado said that the gangs continued to use sexual violence to spread fear, subjugate, and punish the population, describing grave abuses on an appalling scale.
Between March and December of 2025,āat least 1,571 women and girls were victims of sexual violence, mostly gang rape. Others, including children, were coerced into so-called āsentimental relationshipsā with gang members and subjected to prolonged sexual exploitation and abuse,ā she told reporters at the UN biweekly press briefing.
Disproportionate use of force by police
The report also documents instances of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by police. Between March 2025 and mid-January 2026, the report found 247 instances of actual or attempted summary executions of suspected gang members or individuals believed to support gangs. These incidents resulted in the deaths of 196 people.
āSince March 2025, a private military company, reportedly hired by the Haitian Government, has taken part in security operations, including using drone strikes and helicopter gunfire,ā the OHCHR spokesperson said.
āSome, or even most, of these drone strikes and helicopter operations could be described as targeted killings, given the apparent predetermined, intentional, and deliberate use of lethal force against individuals specifically identified in advance.ā
The report states that no investigation appears to have been opened by Haitian authorities to determine the legality of these operations or the circumstances in which the killings and injuries occurred. It adds that "no accountability mechanism appears to have been put in place to enable victims and members of the population to access effective remedies and justice."
The UN human rights office maintains that states are accountable for the actions of private military and security companies that they employ to perform security functions on their behalf. These companies must comply with the same international human rights obligations as national police, and states must prevent, investigate, and address any serious violations committed by these companies.
The report also details violence perpetrated by self-defense groups and mobs engaging in so-called "popular justice." Armed with stones, machetes, and increasingly, high-caliber firearms, these groups have lynched individuals suspected of gang affiliation, as well as others deemed to have committed crimes.
Allegedly, some killings were encouraged, supported, or facilitated by members of the police force.
āIt is essential for authorities to provide security while fully upholding human rights,ā said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker TĆ¼rk.
āEfforts to further bolster the rule of law, particularly in the justice and detention sectors, must remain a priority to be able to tackle corruption and impunity, as these undermine the trust of the people,ā he added.
Gang Suppression Force must uphold human rights standards.
The report notes the creation of the new Gang Suppression Force (GSF) which is subject to a robust compliance mechanism designed to prevent, investigate, address, and publicly report on potential human rights violations committed by its personnel.
In September 2025, the UN Security Council authorized the multinational GSF in Haiti to replace a Kenyan-led security support mission. The 5,550-person force will protect vulnerable groups, support the reintegration of former fighters, and strengthen Haitian institutions, among other tasks.
Security Council Resolution 2793 (2025) also authorizes UN Secretary-General AntĆ³nio Guterres to establish a UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), which will provide logistical and operational support to the GSF, the Haitian National Police (HNP), and the Haitian armed forces. In March, Daniela Kroslak was appointed head of UNSOH.
āThe Gang Suppression Force can only be effective in the long-term if there are also stronger efforts to identify, detain, investigate, and prosecute, in accordance with international standards, those who fund, organize, and support the gangsā activities,ā said the UN human rights chief.
āIt is also crucial for measures to be taken to reduce the large socio-economic disparities in Haiti as part of a wider process to restore social cohesion.ā
Security situation remains fragile as human rights crisis creates massive suffering for Haitians
The UN report follows the conclusion of a 10-day visit to the country by William OāNeill, the UNās independent expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, who was there to assess the human rights situation in the country.
After his visit in March, OāNeill stated that the ongoing human rights crisis is causing immense suffering for the Haitian people, particularly the most vulnerable, while also noting some "glimmers of hope."
However, he reported that the security situation remains fragile and that he had received serious allegations regarding police operations and the use of drones resulting in deaths and injuries.
"Efforts to restore security are essential and desired by many, but they must fully respect international human rights law," said the expert earlier this month, expressing deep concerns about "corruption, impunity, and the weakness of accountability mechanisms."
Haiti faces deepening humanitarian crisis
The country is grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis driven by the escalating gang violence, the subsequent collapse of essential services, and frequent natural disasters, including floods, droughts, and earthquakes. Ongoing armed violence has brought the country to the brink of collapse. In 2026, over half of the population ā 6.4 million people ā require humanitarian assistance.
Violence has forced at least 1.4 million people to flee their homes, marking an unprecedented level of internal displacement in Haiti. Children account for over half of those displaced within the country. Many families live in extremely precarious conditions, often without access to health care, clean water, toilets, food, schools, or adequate shelter.
Currently, at least 26 gangs operate in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, and its surrounding communities. In recent months, these armed groups have expanded their control to 90 percent of the capital and beyond. Amid the ongoing violence and mass displacement in Haiti, the recruitment and use of children by gangs increased by 200 percent in 2025.
Around half of all gang members are estimated to be under the age of 18. They often join armed groups to support their families or after receiving threats against themselves or their loved ones. Others join after being separated from their families, viewing the gangs as a means of survival and protection.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, over 5.9 million people in Haiti are currently facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC 3 or worse). Among them are nearly 2 million people experiencing emergency levels (IPC 4) and 3.9 million people experiencing crisis levels of hunger.
However, funding for Haitiās humanitarian response has plummeted. Last year's Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) requested US$908 million to provide lifesaving assistance to four million of the most vulnerable people in Haiti. However, only 26 percent of the 2025 HRP was actually funded, with only $236 million received.
Unfortunately, this funding crisis shows no signs of ending. The 2026 HNRP seeks $880 million to support millions in dire need. So far, only 18 percent of the 2026 HRP has been funded.
Further information
Full text: A/HRC/61/74: Situation of human rights in Haiti - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (advance unedited version), A/HRC/61/74, published March 24, 2026
https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc6174-situation-human-rights-haiti-report-united-nations-high