‘Unimaginable violence’ against women, children in Haiti: UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday that there’s “unimaginable violence” against women and children in Haiti, saying that persistent violence in the French-speaking Caribbean country remains a significant concern for the safety and welfare of its most vulnerable citizens.

UNICEF cited reports of an “alarming spike” in kidnapping and other crimes.

According to UNICEF, nearly 300 confirmed cases were reported in the first six months of 2023, almost matching the total number documented over 2022 and close to three times the number in 2021.

“The stories we are hearing from UNICEF staff and partners on the ground are shocking and unacceptable,” said Gary Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, in a statement. 

“The growing trend in kidnappings and abductions is extremely worrisome, threatening both the people of Haiti and those who have come to help,” he added.

Conville said that, in most instances, children and women are forcefully taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical gains. 

He said the victims who manage to return home grapple with deep physical and psychological scars, possibly for many years.

The UN said the overall situation in Haiti is catastrophic. 

Today, it said an estimated 5.2 million people, or close to half of the entire population, require humanitarian assistance, including almost three million children.

UNICEF said children find themselves in the crossfire, or directly targeted, and that “women and girls face extreme sexual violence, as armed groups terrorize the population in their fight for territory and control, mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and also in other regions.” 

“Women and children are not commodities. They are not bargaining chips. And they must never be exposed to such unimaginable violence,” said Conille, calling for the immediate release and safe return of all those who have been kidnapped. 

On top of crime and violence, reports indicate that local healthcare systems are teetering on the brink of collapse amid a resurgence of cholera and severe malnutrition. 

UNICEF said the increase in violence, looting, road blockades, and the pervasive presence of armed groups severely obstruct humanitarian efforts, making it difficult to deliver much-needed aid to affected communities,  noting that, as months go by, it adds an increasing layer of “fear and complexity to an already challenging environment for those delivering life-saving aid.” 

The UN said the assassination of the President of Haiti in 2021 plunged the country into a deep political crisis, “which has been exacerbated by an unprecedented breakdown in security.”

The UNICEF said armed criminal gangs are said to be “imposing a regime of terror” and violence in most parts of Port-au-Prince, severely impacting the humanitarian, human rights and socio-economic situation in a country already hit hard by poverty, disease and disasters.

The UN agency added that it stands steadfast in its commitment to deliver critical aid and support for Haiti’s children who have been impacted by these traumatic events. 

Beyond its initial crisis response, UNICEF said it supports the children and victims of the crimes, and working alongside partners, provides life-saving assistance, ensuring access to medical care, psychosocial support, and safe spaces where children can begin the process of healing and recovery.

“I have witnessed the remarkable resilience of Haitian children, women and families as they face seemingly insurmountable challenges, refusing to surrender,” Conille said. 

“However, their bravery is being met with increasing, unthinkable terror,” he added. “It must stop now.”