Haiti is facing a humanitarian crisis for its children on a scale comparable to some of the world’s most violent conflict zones, including Gaza, a new United Nations report has revealed.
The UN’s annual report on Children in Armed Conflict shows that Haiti recorded 2,269 verified grave violations against 1,373 children in 2024 alone, placing it among the deadliest and most dangerous places for children globally—alongside Gaza, the West Bank, Congo, Somalia, and Nigeria.
The report details horrific abuses, including killings, sexual violence, recruitment by armed gangs, abductions, and denial of humanitarian aid. These violations have reached unprecedented levels as Haiti’s powerful gangs control an estimated 85 percent of the capital and surrounding areas, contributing to widespread insecurity and suffering.
“Girls were abducted for the purpose of recruitment and use, and for sexual slavery,” the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, underscoring a dramatic increase in sexual violence, including gang rapes. In Haiti, 566 children—mostly girls—were victims of sexual violence in 2024, with 411 cases linked to the notorious Viv Ansanm gang, recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
“The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball — but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings — should keep all of us awake at night,” said Virginia Gamba, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
The escalating violence and abuses against children in Haiti are on par with those seen in Gaza, where Israeli military actions and ongoing conflict have caused immense harm to Palestinian children. The UN verified over 7,000 grave violations by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, including the killing of more than 1,200 children.
While Haiti does not face a traditional war like Gaza, the surge in gang-related violence and the breakdown of law and order have created a similarly perilous environment for children, who bear the brunt of the conflict’s consequences.
“The situation in Haiti reflects a crisis of security and governance with profound impacts on children’s lives,” the report warns, calling for urgent international attention and action to protect the country’s most vulnerable.
