Haiti
As of February 2026, Haiti is grappling with what international observers call a "multidimensional" human rights crisis. The country is currently characterized by a near-total breakdown of state authority, with armed gang coalitions controlling approximately 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
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The following are the most critical human rights issues currently facing the Haitian population:
1. Widespread Violence and Impunity
Homicides and Kidnappings: Gang violence has reached unprecedented levels. Since early 2022, over 16,000 people have been killed. Kidnappings for ransom remain a daily threat, targeting everyone from street vendors to high-profile officials.+1
Sexual Violence: Armed groups systematically use rape and sexual violence as a tool to control neighborhoods and terrorize the population. Reported cases of gender-based violence (GBV) rose significantly in late 2025, yet survivors have almost no access to medical or psychological support.+1
Vigilante Justice: Due to the failure of the police (HNP), "self-defense" groups have emerged, leading to a cycle of lynchings and extrajudicial killings of suspected gang members.
2. Exploitation of Children
Child Recruitment: Human rights monitors estimate that 30% to 50% of gang members are children. Many are coerced into joining because of extreme poverty or because gangs offer the only source of food and protection in their areas.
Attacks on Education: Schools have frequently been targeted, occupied, or used as shelters for the displaced. This has effectively denied a generation of children their right to education.
3. Humanitarian and Economic Rights
Food Insecurity: Over 5.7 million people (roughly half the population) are facing acute hunger. Gangs control major supply routes, leading to artificial shortages and inflated prices for basic goods.+1
Internal Displacement: More than 1.4 million Haitians are currently internally displaced. Many live in overcrowded, unsanitary temporary camps (often schools or churches) with no access to clean water, increasing the risk of cholera.+1
Collapse of Healthcare: Hospitals are frequently looted or forced to close due to insecurity. Medical staff have been targeted for kidnapping, leaving the vast majority of the population without even basic emergency care.
4. Political and Judicial Crisis
Governance Vacuum: The mandate for the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) is set to expire this month (February 2026). Without a clear path to elections, there are deep concerns about an even greater political vacuum.
Dysfunctional Justice System: Haiti’s judiciary is largely paralyzed by corruption and fear. Most prisoners are held in prolonged pretrial detention in life-threatening, overcrowded conditions without ever seeing a judge.
Recent Developments (Late 2025 – Early 2026)
Hurricane Melissa (Oct 2025): The hurricane caused further displacement and destroyed agricultural land, exacerbating the existing food crisis.
New Security Missions: The UN has authorized a "Gang Suppression Force" (GSF) to replace previous failed missions. However, there are ongoing concerns regarding civilian casualties, especially with the recent use of armed drones in residential areas during anti-gang operations.