Haiti

Gangs have employed rape, including collective rape as a tactic of terror and control. Over 60 percent of gender-based violence cases involve sexual violence, and abuse of children—including forced recruitment—has surged. UN peacekeepers have sexually exploited and abused Haitian women and girls during past missions, leaving mothers and children struggling with stigma and poverty while stoking mistrust toward external interventions. Women and girls who have fled Haiti face further challenges, with reports of sexual exploitation and violence by security forces in the Dominican Republic and sweeping deportations of pregnant Haitian women and new mothers.  The official termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in the US has heightened concerns about the risks facing those returned to Haiti amid ongoing violence, particularly for women and girls vulnerable to harm and exploitation.

The toll of violence on women is compounded by pre-existing vulnerabilities, including their overrepresentation in low-wage informal jobs and lower rates of property ownership. Healthcare access is in crisis, exacerbating issues like maternal mortality; nearly half of all hospitals are out of service, gang attacks on medical facilities continue, and cuts to foreign aid have reduced much-needed support, including for women-led organizations aiding survivors of violence and displacement. Despite these challenges, Haitian women continue to build on a longstanding legacy of activism, leading frontline response and advocacy. 

Political turmoil further compounds threats to Haiti’s long-term security and impedes recovery efforts. The country is led by unelected, interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and lacks a functioning legislature, having yet to hold elections amid persistent insecurity. Women remain dramatically underrepresented in decision-making, including in the transitional government. As the country attempts to prepare for a future electoral process, violence and displacement remain persistent barriers to women’s participation in political processes as voters and candidates. Without improved security, state capacity, and resources, the path toward democratic governance and women’s full participation will remain precarious.

Gang violence continues to drive mass casualties and displacement, with at least 1,642 people killed and 745 wounded between January and March 2026, while more than 1.4 million people remain displaced nationwide. In May, renewed clashes in Cité Soleil and Croix-des-Bouquets killed at least 78 people, wounded 66, and displaced roughly 5,300, underscoring the continued spread of violence despite some security gains in parts of Port-au-Prince. Women and girls fleeing violence are increasingly pushed into overcrowded shelters, where limited protection and services expose them to heightened risks of sexual violence, exploitation, and abuse, alongside continued patterns of rape, abduction, and coercion perpetrated by armed groups.

Sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) continues to surge, with roughly 8,100 cases reported in 2025—a 25 percent spike from 2024—and over 292 victims of gang-related sexual violence in the first quarter of 2026, primarily among girls aged 12 to 17. This comes alongside earlier documentations of widespread harm in Port-au-Prince, including extreme patterns of abuse like gang rape, sexual slavery, and coercion by armed groups. Gangs are also increasingly involved in child trafficking and forced recruitment, with girls facing systematic sexual exploitation; one in six survivors of GBV is under 18, and sexual violence against children has surged by 1,000 percent since 2023. Limited access to services compounds harm, with only around 30 percent of survivors receiving timely care, highlighting critical gaps in protection, recovery, and justice.

Haiti’s prime minister has cast doubt on whether presidential elections will be held by August 2026, warning that current security conditions are not sufficient for a credible vote as gang violence continues to displace civilians and overwhelm public services. Haiti has not held elections since 2016, and the worsening security environment limits both voter participation and the ability of authorities to guarantee safe political engagement. For women—already underrepresented in political leadership—the delay risks further narrowing political space at a moment when their participation is urgently needed to shape security, justice, displacement, and recovery priorities.

More than 68,000 Haitians were repatriated from several countries during the first quarter of 2026, including over 22,000 in March alone, even as gang violence, economic collapse, and hunger continue to drive migration and make reintegration increasingly difficult. Among those forcibly returned to the country in March were 121 pregnant women, 246 breastfeeding mothers, more than 100 people with disabilities, and 229 unaccompanied minors. Returning women and children face acute protection risks as insecurity disrupts transport, public services, humanitarian access, and livelihoods.

Insecurity, disaster-related damage, and gang control continue to severely degrade healthcare access in Port-au-Prince, where only 11 percent of health facilities with inpatient capacity remain fully operational. Ongoing violence and roadblocks continue to restrict humanitarian access and disrupt essential services, while 2025 US funding cuts left an estimated 750,000 women and girls without access to critical health, psychosocial, and emergency support. These constraints are particularly acute for women and girls, limiting access to maternal care, reproductive health services, and support for survivors of violence. The erosion of service delivery systems is increasing preventable health risks and compounding long-term gender inequalities.

5.8 million people—over half the population—are facing crisis-level food insecurity, including more than 1.8 million who are at emergency levels, unable to meet basic food needs. Rising fuel prices, escalating violence, and displacement continue to drive food costs and limit access to markets and livelihoods, risking further deterioration during the ongoing lean season. Deportations and gang violence exacerbate barriers to accessing food and livelihood, with more than one million women-led households reporting acute food insecurity, while pregnant women and new mothers face heightened malnutrition risks. Severe food shortages are also increasing protection risks, as armed groups exploit economic desperation—recruiting children with promises of food and targeting women and young mothers struggling to provide for their families.

The rollout of a new UN-backed Gang Suppression Force—with over $200 million pledged and deployments already underway—signals a potential turning point in efforts to restore territorial control and reduce gang violence. If implemented with strong oversight and gender-sensitive integration, these efforts could help reduce violence against women, disrupt recruitment dynamics, and create entry points for gender-responsive stabilization and community recovery.