‘A ray of hope’ in Haiti amid changes on the gang front

At least 1.4 million people, mainly in the capital Port-au-Prince, have been forced to flee their homes due to gang violence, creating what the UN-designated expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, William O’Neill, has called an “unprecedented level of internal displacement.”

Speaking to reporters at UN headquarters in New York on Monday after a 10-day mission to the country, he said the “current human rights crisis creates massive suffering for the Haitian people, especially the most vulnerable.”

At least 26 gangs control up to 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and some of the surrounding areas. About half of all gang members are children under 18 years of age.

They violently extort communities, commit rape and kidnap some for ransom, while fighting the besieged Haitian security forces for territorial dominance.

Changing fronts

Thousands of people “remain trapped in gang-controlled areas or along shifting front lines,” O’Neill said, facing what he described as “invisible borders.”

For young women and girls, these boundaries are even greater: “They face discrimination for being girls, for living in neighborhoods controlled by gangs, and for being poor. “I just want to live well and safely,” a girl told me, ‘because this is my country’.” said.

Haiti faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by ongoing violence and frequent extreme weather events, including floods, droughts and earthquakes.

The country also faces political uncertainty having not had an elected president since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Elections are expected to be held later this year.

“Difficult but promising moment”

As a Designated Expert, Mr. O’Neil’s role is to monitor human rights developments in Haiti and advise the Government of Haiti, national human rights institutions, and civil society organizations, including women’s rights groups, to assist in their efforts to ensure respect for (and the promotion and protection of) human rights.

He told U.N. correspondents that he remains “deeply concerned about corruption, impunity and weak accountability mechanisms,” adding that the country faces “a difficult but promising time.”

“If we can help Haiti address insecurity, fight corruption and impunity, and protect human rights, then we will all prosper.”