At least five Haitian children have been killed or injured in a single week of 2024, according to Save the Children, which urged the U.N. and security forces to better protect children from gang violence. Despite Haiti’s 2022 call for international support to combat violent gangs, progress has been slow. Only 400 Kenyan police officers have been deployed to lead a U.N.-approved mission, while other promised resources remain undelivered.
In the first half of 2024, at least 131 children were killed or injured, often due to stray bullets or reprisals, with actual numbers likely higher, according to Save the Children. The charity’s Haiti director, Chantal Sylvie Imbeault, highlighted the devastating impact on children and called for urgent action.
A Kenyan mission in late July to Ganthier ended abruptly due to gang gunfire, revealing the lack of preparedness. Violence in Ganthier displaced nearly 6,000 residents by August 1.
Save the Children called on the U.N. Security Council to hold perpetrators accountable and urged all parties in Haiti to allow humanitarian aid. Schools, set to reopen on October 1, have become makeshift refugee camps as the conflict displaces nearly 600,000 people.