Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that armed gangs in Haiti are actively recruiting impoverished children to strengthen their ranks ahead of an anticipated conflict with international security forces. The gangs, which currently control most of the country, are enticing hundreds, if not thousands, of desperate children with offers of food and shelter.
According to HRW, approximately 30% of gang members in Haiti are now minors coerced into engaging in illegal activities as soldiers, spies, or victims of sexual exploitation. Nathalye Cotrino, the report’s author, revealed that many children are joining the gangs in preparation for potential clashes with international security forces and Haitian police. “They plan to use children as ‘human shields’ if operations against criminal groups begin in their controlled areas,” Cotrino stated.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti has descended into chaos. Currently, 5.4 million people face hunger, with 2.7 million, including half a million children, under the control of violent gangs. The first contingent of a UN-backed security force from Kenya was deployed in June to restore order, but a lack of funding has stalled momentum, allowing gangs to strengthen their forces.
The situation has worsened, exemplified by the recent massacre of 70 people, including children, by the Gran Grif gang in Pont-Sondé. Gang leaders are using social media platforms like TikTok to glamorize their lifestyles, enticing impoverished teenagers with the allure of wealth and power.
Desperate children often find themselves coerced into criminal activities, ranging from extortion to murder. A 14-year-old member of the Tibwa gang recounted being beaten for refusing to participate in a kidnapping. “Once I picked up a machine gun, there was no way out,” he said.
HRW is urging the Haitian government to implement programs to protect and reintegrate children into society. However, humanitarian workers indicate that with state services in disarray and hunger rampant, it’s increasingly challenging to deter minors from joining gangs. Children often arrive at educational centers with new clothes or cash, signaling their involvement in criminal groups. Many express that joining the gangs is their only means of survival.
