In Haiti, between drones and gangs, childhood in the crosshairs | Radio-Canada

Nearly half of the children in Haiti, which is in the grip of a serious political, economic and security crisis, face murder, kidnapping, rape or forced recruitment by criminal gangs on a daily basis.

This was revealed by an analysis carried out by theArmed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) in collaboration with Save the Childrenan international NGO.

In the first five months of 2026, 47% of children lived within five kilometers of places where violent incidents occurred in the first five months. Additionally, 43% of children in Haiti live in the Ouest department, which includes the capital, Port-au-Prince, a hotbed of violence and armed group activity in the country.

The situation on the Caribbean island has continued to deteriorate since gangs took control of a large part of the territory following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. In response to the escalation of violence and anarchy in the country, in Particularly in Port-au-Prince, Haiti declared a state of emergency in March 2024.

This difficult situation particularly affects the country’s two million children, who represent around a third of the population. They are the most vulnerable to violence and the harmful consequences it causes.

Open in full screen mode

Parents no longer know when their children will be able to go to school, play outside or even sleep through the night without hearing the sound of gunshots safelytestified the director of operations of Save the ChildrenGabriella Waaijman, in visit à Haïti.

This report comes as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a recently launched international military mission approved by theHIMbegins its operations in Port-au-Prince. Its mission is to fight the armed groups which dominate most districts of the capital.

The increased use of armed drones in Haiti to target armed groups, particularly in densely populated urban areas, has therefore exposed children to new forms of violence.

Since March 2025, one in four children in Haiti have lived within five kilometers of an armed drone strike, significantly increasing the risk of physical injury among these young people.

Recruitment of children by gangs

Open in full screen mode

The document published by Save the Children also highlights the complexity for the GSF to manage the growing problem of the recruitment of children by armed groups, which tripled last year according to theUNICEF.

These children are not combatants, but victims of serious violations and must be treated accordinglyindicates the report, which specifies that half of the gang members are made up of young people.

Gabriella Waaijman explains that displacement, poverty and lack of access to basic services accentuate the vulnerability of children to recruitment.

Open in full screen mode

Many children are recruited on the simple promise of a pair of sneakers or money for a safe meal.

One of the most significant impacts of the conflict in Haiti is the influx of displaced people across the country. More than 750,000 children are among the 1.5 million displaced people in a total population of around 11 million.

A childhood crisis

The director of operations of theONG international talks abouta childhood crisis for the Haitian case, highlighting unmet needs, such as security, education, food, which have an impact on the development of children.

When children grow up surrounded by violence, it shapes their view of the world, what they believe is possible for their lives, and their ability to imagine a future free of feara-t-elle affirmé.

Open in full screen mode

Added to this is the sad observation that more than five million people face serious food insecurity, according to figures from theHIM.

Ms. Waaijman believes that young people will remain vulnerable to recruitment as long as their basic needs are not met. Therefore, his organization urges affected parties to prioritize treatment children encountered during security operations […] like victims so that they can be directed to humanitarian services.