New York / Port-au-Prince, May 17, 2026 – Vanessa Frazier, Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, concluded a visit to Haiti, as the country’s children face unprecedented levels of violence precedent generated by armed gangs.
The recruitment and use of children almost tripled in 2025 compared to 2024, and the United Nations estimates that children make up between 30 and 50% of gang members. Cases of children killed and mutilated have almost doubled over the same period, with children increasingly used by gangs, while sexual violence against children is endemic and used as a tactic to terrorize communities.
“The situation of children in Haiti is unique in many respects and the challenges they face are extraordinarily complex, multiple and multidimensional. I met young children and adolescents who were already in a vulnerable situation within their own home and who had gone through an uninterrupted cycle of violence. It is difficult to understand that children can have such experiences. Yet for many, it is a reality. Growing up means struggling every day to survive, living in constant fear, and being subjected to intimidation, displacement, violence and trauma, as gangs exploit their vulnerability,” said Vanessa Frazier.
During her mission, the Special Representative was received by Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), as well as by the UNICEF Representative, Ms. Geeta Narayan. She also met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantling and reintegration, the Special Representative of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), as well as representatives of the United Nations system, the diplomatic community and donors, civil society organizations and children affected by violence.
Deputy Secretary General Frazier welcomed the fact that the protection of children is at the heart of the agenda of the Haitian Government and its partners. She welcomed the Government’s efforts to take concrete measures to protect children, particularly through the implementation of the transfer protocol signed with the United Nations in 2024.
She stressed that children under the age of 18 encountered during security operations must be treated primarily as victims and promptly handed over to child protection services for care, protection and reintegration, in accordance with the existing transfer protocol. Regarding children who may have committed serious crimes during their association with gangs, and while visiting an overcrowded detention center in Port-au-Prince, she stressed that juvenile justice standards apply, with detention being a resort of last resort, consistent with Haiti’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as its adherence to the Paris Principles, which the country has endorsed.
“There is now a window of opportunity to do the right thing as the GSF rolls out. Safety and child protection cannot be separated. Without protecting these children and supporting all children affected by violence, lasting stability in Haiti will not be possible,” added Ms. Frazier. She welcomed the efforts of the GSF to put in place child protection systems and train its contingents in child protection.
She also recognized that the reintegration of children from gangs constitutes a major and multidimensional challenge for all parties concerned, including the government and its partners. In this regard, the Special Representative visited transit centers managed by the Haitian Government with the support of UNICEF, which support the reintegration of children released from armed gangs in Port-au-Prince and outside the capital, and was able to speak directly with the children.
“All the children I spoke to told me one thing: they want to go to school, play, learn and, above all, just be children,” she added, emphasizing the importance of education and learning as fundamental elements of reintegration. At the same time, proactive awareness campaigns, carried out by all means available – including community radio, social networks and religious leaders – must continue in order to prepare the return of these children to their families and communities. Much has already been done in this regard, but efforts and determination still need to be strengthened.
Deputy Secretary-General Frazier reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to supporting Haiti in all efforts to strengthen the protection of children.
