September 18, 2026
The United Nations is warning of a dramatic worsening of the crisis in Haiti, where gangs are now extending their grip even into camps hosting displaced persons. Humanitarian officials describe scenes of great distress, marked by sexual violence, trauma among children, and the collapse of essential services.
According to humanitarian organizations, 6.4 million Haitians are in need of emergency aid, and only one in ten public hospitals is functioning normally. Women and children are the primary victims of this crisis, while the recruitment of minors by armed groups has increased significantly.
The number of internally displaced persons has now reached nearly 1.5 million—an unprecedented level—with families forced to live in schools transformed into makeshift shelters. The situation is aggravated by the daily expulsions of hundreds of people from the Dominican Republic, many of whom return to a country where they no longer have housing.
While the UN considers the deployment of the gang repression force as an opportunity to improve security, humanitarian actors insist on the urgency of increased financial support. They believe that without rapid mobilization from the international community, the humanitarian collapse risks permanently compromising the country’s stability.
