The Gendered Toll of Gang Control: Women and Violence in Haiti
By: Aarohi Hemmady
On March 29, 70 Haitians were killed and 30 were injured during a gang attack in Haiti’s Artibonite region. Residents told local media that the attack began in the early hours of Sunday and continued into Monday, with gang members storming the area and setting homes on fire. The Artibonite region has faced some of Haiti’s worst violence. Gang conflict has extended beyond the capital, Port-au-Prince, despite more aggressive policing and promises of more foreign support for Haiti’s security forces from Chad, Benin, Barbados, Bangladesh, and other states.
Close to 20,000 people have been killed in Haiti since 2021 due to clashes between powerful armed gangs, security forces, and local vigilante groups. 12% of the Caribbean’s most populous country have been displaced because of conflict with armed gangs. While the United States has been donating billions in humanitarian aid, Haiti is still facing an economic crisis, lack of food access, and a war on women, raising questions about impact, efficiency, and what civilians can do to help.
Haitian women and girls are especially at risk of sexual violence, which gangs use as a tool to intimidate and control communities. Girls can face attacks practically anywhere: on the way to school, while running errands, or even at home. Survivors of these attacks often deal with stigma, discouraging them from seeking help, leaving them without medical care or psychological support and perpetuating their suffering. Gender-based violence is one of Haiti’s main problems as it robs people of their safety, dignity, and future.
Children are often recruited into gangs at early ages due to their easily manipulated and less suspicious nature. These children act as lookouts, messengers and informants, roles that exploit their age but also increase likelihood of violence, trauma, and for girls, sexual abuse. Not only is their education disrupted, but the long-term psychological impacts are very serious. States like the United States have a responsibility to protect the children of Haiti as well as break the cycle of sexual violence in efforts to build a safer, more stable nation.
In October 2023, the UN Security Council authorized an international force to be dispatched to Haiti: the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS). Led by Kenya, the mission aims to disarm gangs and stabilize the gangs. However, previous foreign security missions have been associated with multiple human rights violations. The mission has failed to address serious concerns about transparency and human rights safeguards, raising questions of ethics and accountability.
Because foreign aid has not cured Haiti of violence, gang conflict, and the crises that result, the best solution is for the Haitian government to take decisive action. They must develop a comprehensive child, women, and civilian protection program that prevents further violence and provides victims with the mental and physical care they need. They must also hold criminals accountable for their actions in fair trials.
Amnesty International and various other human rights organizations are demanding that the Haitian government do just that. By signing petitions by Amnesty and other organizations, donating to reputable organizations providing food and water to Haitians, supporting local initiatives like Hope for Haiti, people can make a direct impact on this growing crisis.
At the same time, integrating the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda—established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325—into both national and international responses is critical in a crisis that disproportionately affects women. This means ensuring that anti-gang operations and international support prioritizes safeguarding women from sexual violence. The international community must come together to provide financial, technical, and medical assistance to Haitian authorities as well as demand for more transparency and safeguarding measures in MSS.