Haiti’s Gangs Recruit Children Amid Growing Humanitarian Crisis: HRW Report

A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) reveals a harrowing reality in Haiti, where powerful armed groups are increasingly recruiting children into their ranks amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis, Al Jazeera reports.

The report, released on Wednesday, warns that hundreds, if not thousands, of children, driven by hunger and poverty, are being forced to commit criminal acts, including extortion, looting, killing, and kidnapping.

Boys are often used as informants, trained to use weapons, and deployed in clashes against the police. Girls, on the other hand, face sexual abuse, forced domestic work, and abandonment after becoming pregnant.

The report highlights the dire situation in Haiti, where escalating violence has displaced over 700,000 people. Gangs have seized control of vast territories, including areas where 2.7 million people reside, half a million of them children. According to UN estimates, about one-third of gang members are children.

The report details how gangs are using popular social media platforms to attract recruits, particularly emphasizing the influence of the Village de Dieu gang leader, a rapper who uses music videos to showcase his soldiers and their training.

HRW interviewed 58 people, including children associated with gangs, humanitarian workers, diplomats, and representatives of Haitian civil society and UN agencies. The report highlights the desperate situation of these children, forced into a life of violence and crime due to lack of basic needs.

“Severe hunger” is cited as the primary reason for children joining the criminal groups. The report also notes that the gangs are expanding their control, now holding nearly 80 percent of Port-au-Prince and encroaching into other regions.

The international community’s response to the crisis has been inadequate. While the UN approved Haiti’s request for a multinational police mission a year ago, it remains partially deployed.

HRW urges both the Haitian government and the international community to address the deep instability in the country. The report calls for increased resources for security forces, measures to ensure children’s access to food and education, and programs to provide rehabilitation for child recruits.