Haiti is facing a significant challenge as hunger and poverty push children into the folds of criminal groups, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report highlights that children, once recruited, are subjected to a life of illegal activities and abuse, including sexual exploitation and threats of violence. Despite a desire to leave these groups, many children remain trapped by the fear of hunger and societal stigma.
The report identifies the ongoing food crisis as a primary contributor to this alarming trend. Families are increasingly unable to provide for their children, leaving criminal groups as the sole providers of food, shelter, and income for these minors. The situation has escalated following law enforcement operations by the Multinational Security Support Mission and Haitian National Police, which inadvertently led to an increase in child recruitment by these groups.
Children recruited into these groups are often trained to use weapons and are forced into violent confrontations with police and rival factions. Girls, in particular, face heightened vulnerability, often enduring sexual abuse and being compelled into domestic servitude. In some cases, families have been coerced into handing over their children under threats of violence, all for the sake of protection.
HRW calls for a comprehensive strategy from the transitional government and international agencies to address this critical issue. The organization emphasizes the importance of aligning these efforts with international human rights standards, especially in demobilization and reintegration processes, while bolstering child protection systems. Additionally, improvements in Haiti’s educational, health, and justice systems are deemed crucial to ensuring essential services are available for abused children.
Earlier this year, in January 2024, Haiti and the United Nations signed a protocol agreement to transfer children associated with armed gangs to civilian child protection services. However, HRW has highlighted significant resource and coordination gaps, leaving children in substandard conditions, often sharing cells with adults. Such practices violate Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which mandates the separation of detained minors from adults.
The overarching crisis is intensified by rampant gang violence, notably in Port-au-Prince, leading to the internal displacement of over 700,000 individuals, half of whom are children. The worsening violence has severely affected educational institutions as nearly 1,000 schools have been shuttered, depriving children of learning opportunities and essential school meals. Violence has also claimed the lives of over 100 children this year, exacerbating the crisis.
Garry Conille, a UN development specialist and former prime minister, assumed the role of Haiti’s prime minister within the transitional government in June. Despite pledging efforts to alleviate children’s plight in Haiti, progress remains slow amidst the persistent violence and insecurity.