SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A recent report by Amnesty International highlights the alarming situation facing children in Haiti, who find themselves increasingly ensnared in gang violence. These young individuals are being coerced into carrying weapons, gathering intelligence on police and rival gangs, and performing various tasks for armed groups.
Among the 51 children interviewed for the report, one boy shared his experience of being relentlessly pressured by gang members to join their ranks. He recounted, “They killed people in front of me and asked me to burn their bodies. But I don’t have the heart for that.” This statement illustrates the intense psychological and moral conflicts facing children involved in such dire circumstances.
UNICEF estimates that between 30% and 50% of gang members in Haiti are children, emphasizing the grave nature of their involvement. Amnesty International noted that these youths often find themselves participating out of desperation—either to avoid hunger or out of sheer fear for their lives.
With nearly two million people nearing starvation in Haiti, the situation is dire. Over one million children reportedly reside in areas dominated by gangs, with 85% of Port-au-Prince under their control. One anonymous 16-year-old mentioned that he was compensated for running errands for a gang, stating, “(The gangs) are in control. And there is nothing you can do about it.”
The report also highlighted the peril that children face if they refuse to comply with gang demands, as they or their family members could be at risk of being murdered. This conclusion comes from a series of 112 interviews conducted from May to October last year. The threats to children extend beyond gangs; vigilantes and police officers often misinterpret their involvement, putting them in further danger.
Amnesty International revealed that many girls and young women suffer severe atrocities, including collective rape by gang members and resulting infections with sexually transmitted diseases, leading to unwanted pregnancies in a nation with limited healthcare resources. One traumatized teenager recounted being raped by six men, while her sister endured a similar fate at the hands of five others. “There was so much blood,” the younger sibling remarked during her interview.
Another young woman described a moment of desperate anguish, explaining how she ingested bleach in a failed suicide attempt after being violently assaulted by three men who later abandoned her in public. “People found me on the street and put a dress on me,” she recounted.
The report indicates that many individuals interviewed expressed disbelief at the thought of seeking help from authorities. A 16-year-old girl who was abducted and raped stated, “Are you kidding me? It’s not possible…There is no police…The only chief in town are the gang members.” Such sentiments reflect a pervasive lack of faith in the justice system amid rampant lawlessness.
Some children have suffered not only emotionally but also physically due to the violence. A 14-year-old girl shared her traumatic experience of being hit in the lip by a ricocheting bullet, a stark contrast to the previous loss of her 17-year-old brother to gun violence just months earlier. “I lost a huge presence in my life. Since then, I don’t know how to be happy,” she lamented.
The impact of this violence is even more severe on children with disabilities, who often find themselves forced to abandon mobility aids like crutches and wheelchairs during sudden attacks. Amnesty International urged the Haitian government to enhance support for children, restore educational opportunities, offer mental health services, and address the situation of minors detained without charges due to suspected gang ties.
Further, the organization called for increased resources, including personnel training and security measures, to aid in the reintegration of these children into society. “The international community cannot continue to make empty promises,” the report stated, stressing the immediate need for both technical and financial assistance to protect a generation at risk of being lost to violence and societal breakdown.
In 2023, reports indicated 128 children were killed due to escalating violence. While data for the previous year remains unavailable, over 5,600 deaths were documented in 2024 alone. The Haitian National Police force, already hindered by severe underfunding and staffing shortages, is collaborating with a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police to combat gang-related issues.
Despite these efforts, the mission faces significant challenges, including lack of funding and personnel. In light of the ongoing crisis, calls have emerged from the U.S. and other nations advocating for the transformation of this initiative into a more robust U.N. peacekeeping effort.
