New York / Port-au-Prince, May 17, 2026 – Vanessa Frazier, Deputy Secretary-General and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, concluded a visit to Haiti, where the country’s children are facing unprecedented levels of violence by armed gangs.
Recruitment and use of children nearly tripled in 2025 compared to 2024, with children estimated to make up between 30 and 50% of gang members. Cases of killed and mutilated children almost doubled during the same period, as children are increasingly being used by gangs, while sexual violence against children is widespread and used as a tactic to terrorize communities.
“The situation of children in Haiti is unique in many ways, and the challenges they face are extraordinarily complex, multiple, and multidimensional. I have met young children and adolescents already in vulnerable situations within their homes who have experienced continuous cycles of violence. It is hard to comprehend that children can live through 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 bullying, displacement, violence, and trauma, as gangs exploit their vulnerability,” stated 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 UNICEF Representative, Ms. Geeta Narayan. She also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, the national Commission on Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration, the Special Representative of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), as well as representatives from the UN system, diplomatic community, donors, civil society organizations, and children affected by violence.
Deputy Secretary-General Frazier commended the fact that child protection is at the core of the Haitian Government’s agenda and its partners. She praised the Government’s efforts to take concrete measures to protect children, including through implementing a transfer protocol signed with the United Nations in 2024.
She emphasized that children under 18 encountered during security operations should be treated primarily as victims and promptly handed over to child protection services for care, protection, and reintegration, as per the existing transfer protocol. Regarding children who may have committed serious crimes while associated with gangs, she stressed that juvenile justice standards apply, with detention being a measure of last resort, in accordance with Haiti’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its endorsement of the Paris Principles.
“There is an opportunity today to do what is right as the GSF deploys. Security and child protection cannot be separated. Without protecting these children and supporting all children affected by violence, sustainable stability in Haiti will not be possible,” added Ms. Frazier. She praised the efforts of the GSF to establish child protection systems and train its contingents in child protection.
She also recognized that the reintegration of children from gangs poses a major and multidimensional challenge for all parties involved, including the government and its partners. In this regard, the Special Representative visited transit centers run by the Haitian Government with UNICEF’s support, which facilitate the reintegration of children released from armed gangs in Port-au-Prince and outside the capital, and directly spoke with the children.
“All the children I talked to said one thing: they want to go to school, play, learn, and above all, just be children,” she added, highlighting the importance of education and learning as fundamental elements of reintegration. Proactive awareness campaigns led by all available means — including community radios, social networks, and religious leaders — must continue to prepare these children for their return to their families and communities. Much is being done in this regard, but efforts and determination need to be strengthened.
Deputy Secretary-General Frazier reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting Haiti in all efforts to strengthen child protection.
