Haiti Faces Deepening Humanitarian Crisis Amid Surging Gang Violence

Haiti's Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Escalating Gang Violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti is confronting an unprecedented humanitarian crisis as escalating gang violence has displaced over 1.3 million people, marking a 24% increase since December 2024. Gangs now control approximately 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to widespread insecurity and disruption of essential services.

The surge in violence has forced over 230,000 residents from their homes in northern areas of the capital. Many displaced individuals are seeking refuge in makeshift shelters or with friends and family, often in unsanitary conditions with limited access to healthcare and clean water. The United Nations and other international bodies are collaborating with Haitian authorities to address the crisis, but efforts are hindered by underfunded and understaffed security missions.

The situation is further exacerbated by economic instability and climate-related disasters, contributing to a worsening hunger crisis. Haiti is identified as one of five global hotspots at immediate risk of famine, with nearly half the population facing acute food insecurity. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently requesting $46 million to provide food assistance over the next six months to 2 million Haitians facing severe hunger, including 8,500 people at the catastrophic Phase 5 level.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has joined international calls for a stronger security intervention in Haiti, urging the United Nations to either fund the current Kenyan-led mission adequately or formally convert it into a peacekeeping operation. The current mission, reliant on voluntary donations, has been insufficient to stabilize the country.

The crisis has profound social implications, including a disturbing rise in sexual violence against children, exacerbated by extreme poverty that pushes minors into armed gangs—comprising up to half of armed group members. The healthcare system is collapsing under gang violence, with many hospitals in gang-controlled areas of Port-au-Prince closed or burned down. In February 2025, gangs torched the country’s largest hospital, adding to the growing list of destroyed institutions.

The multifaceted crisis in Haiti underscores the urgent need for coordinated international intervention to restore security, provide humanitarian aid, and support the country's path toward stability and recovery.