Gang violence in Haiti has killed almost 5,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes since October 2024, according to a new United Nations report.
The report, released on Friday, July 11, 2025, by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), reveals that the violence has grown worse in recent months, especially in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince. The UN says the situation is becoming a major humanitarian emergency.
Between October 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,864 people were killed in gang-related violence. More than 1,000 deaths occurred in the capital and nearby areas alone. The violence has displaced tens of thousands, with many fleeing their homes to escape gang control.
“Violence increased sharply in recent months,” the UN report noted, blaming the worsening crisis on the collapse of government control in many regions.
Ulrika Richardson, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, said that state presence is nearly non-existent in large parts of the country. This has allowed gangs to take over entire communities.
“Human rights abuses outside Port-au-Prince are intensifying in areas of the country where the presence of the State is extremely limited,” she warned.
The violence has also paralyzed essential services, especially healthcare. Major hospitals, including the University Hospital of Mirebalais, have shut down due to insecurity. According to UN estimates, less than 25% of health facilities in Port-au-Prince remain operational.
Many international aid organizations have scaled back their efforts or left Haiti entirely, citing safety concerns. This has deepened the crisis, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The UN warns that Haiti’s crisis could spread beyond its borders, threatening the stability of the wider Caribbean region.
“The international community must strengthen its support to the authorities,” said Richardson, calling for coordinated efforts to restore peace, rebuild institutions, and improve access to humanitarian aid.
The report also comes as the country awaits the full deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational force, approved by the UN Security Council in 2024, to help restore order and rebuild police capacity. However, delays and funding challenges have slowed the mission’s progress.
