Gender-based violence surges in Haiti as displacement worsen, UN says
UN Photo/Loey Felipe The Security Council meets on the situation in Haiti.
Key Points(5)
- Gender-based violence in Haiti has surged amid worsening insecurity and displacement, with more than 5,500 incidents reported during the first half of 2026, the United Nations said Wednesday.
- UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said humanitarian partners recorded more than 3,000 cases of gender-based violence between April and June alone, including more than 1,000 incidents in June.
- The figures represent a sharp increase compared with last year, when partners recorded just over 8,000 cases for the entire year.
- “Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us there has been an alarming surge in gender-based violence in the country, particularly against women and girls, driven by ongoing insecurity and displacement,” Haq told reporters in New York on July 29.
- He said nearly 70% of reported cases during the past six months involved rape, with many of those incidents reportedly involving gang rape committed by armed groups.
Gender-based violence in Haiti has surged amid worsening insecurity and displacement, with more than 5,500 incidents reported during the first half of 2026, the United Nations said Wednesday.
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said humanitarian partners recorded more than 3,000 cases of gender-based violence between April and June alone, including more than 1,000 incidents in June.
The figures represent a sharp increase compared with last year, when partners recorded just over 8,000 cases for the entire year.
“Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us there has been an alarming surge in gender-based violence in the country, particularly against women and girls, driven by ongoing insecurity and displacement,” Haq told reporters in New York on July 29.
He said nearly 70% of reported cases during the past six months involved rape, with many of those incidents reportedly involving gang rape committed by armed groups.
“More than half of the survivors were displaced,” Haq said.
The UN said Haiti’s ongoing security crisis, including violence linked to armed groups, has increased risks for women and girls while placing additional pressure on already limited humanitarian services.
Haq said humanitarian partners have been able to provide some survivors with medical care, psychosocial support and protection services, including safe spaces for women and girls, but warned that available resources remain far below what is needed.
“Needs continue to far exceed current capacity,” he said.
The increase in gender-based violence comes as Haiti faces a deepening displacement crisis. According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 1.5 million people are internally displaced across the country, while more than 140,000 Haitians were forcibly returned to Haiti between January and June 2026.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that displacement, insecurity and limited access to services are leaving vulnerable communities at greater risk as violence continues across parts of the country.
