By Lara Kajs
Dispatches from the Field—The Genocide Report
Washington, DC—22 July 2025
Haiti’s current crisis reflects the deadly intersection of political instability, armed violence, displacement, and food insecurity. Civilians—especially children—bear the brunt of this turmoil, with gangs controlling large swaths of territory and essential services collapsing. Understanding this crisis through the lens of international humanitarian law and atrocity prevention highlights both the immediate human cost and the structural vulnerabilities that perpetuate mass suffering.
Haiti, the first Black republic and the second independent nation in the Western Hemisphere, was once celebrated for its resilience amid natural disasters and political upheaval. Today, the nation faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Political instability, gang violence, widespread displacement, natural disasters, and acute food insecurity have pushed millions of Haitians to the brink of survival. Daily life has become a struggle for safety, shelter, and sustenance, yet global attention remains limited.
Haiti’s crisis is not only a humanitarian emergency—it is a preventable disaster demanding immediate global action.”
A Nation Held Hostage by Violence
Armed gangs now control over 80% of Port-au-Prince and significant portions of the country. Operating with impunity, they extort businesses, terrorize civilians, and wage violent turf wars. In many neighborhoods, gang leaders function as de facto authorities, filling the void left by a weakened government.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti has been trapped in political paralysis. Repeatedly postponed elections have left a fragile transitional government unable to enforce the law or protect civilians. International support for Haitian police forces has largely failed, and local law enforcement is often outgunned or compromised.
Civilians pay the heaviest price. Thousands have been killed or injured in gang violence since early 2024. Mass kidnappings, sexual violence, and public executions instill pervasive fear, paralyzing daily life and economic activity.
A Displacement Crisis with No Refuge
Violence has triggered massive internal displacement. By mid-2025, over 580,000 Haitians had fled their homes, often multiple times. Makeshift camps in abandoned buildings, schools, and public spaces are overcrowded and under-resourced. Sanitation is poor, clean water and medical care are scarce, and aid organizations face immense security challenges.
Families are torn apart, and children—particularly girls—face heightened risks of exploitation. The psychological toll of displacement is profound, with generational consequences.
Children and the Human Cost
Haitian children bear the brunt of this crisis. Malnutrition is soaring: thousands under five suffer from acute malnutrition, which stunts growth and raises mortality risks. In rural areas, families may eat only once a day, and school closures have disrupted access to essential meals.
Hunger drives children into labor or onto the streets, threatening education, health, and development. Without intervention, the long-term impact may take generations to reverse.
Hunger and Economic Collapse
Nearly 4.9 million Haitians—almost half the population—face high levels of acute food insecurity, with 1.8 million in emergency conditions. Conflict, inflation, climate shocks, and failing infrastructure create famine-like conditions in many areas.
The economy is in freefall. Agricultural production has dropped due to gang control of transport, theft of crops, and displacement of farmers. Imports are inconsistent and prohibitively expensive. Food prices have skyrocketed, markets are empty, and children go hungry night after night. Aid delivery is often blocked, looted, or delayed, worsening the humanitarian disaster.
USAID Suspension Impact
The suspension of USAID operations in Haiti has exacerbated the crisis. Previously a major provider of food aid, health services, and sanitation infrastructure, USAID’s absence has intensified food insecurity and weakened governance programs, leaving Haiti’s institutions even less able to respond.
Call for Urgent Global Action
Haiti requires more than emergency aid. Addressing gang control, restoring law and order, and holding elections are critical. Investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture are essential, alongside support for displaced populations to rebuild safely. Without bold, coordinated international intervention, the crisis will deepen, and the hope for recovery will diminish.
Haiti’s current plight is not only a humanitarian emergency—it is a failure of international solidarity. The world cannot afford indifference. Survival should not be Haiti’s only aspiration; stability, dignity, and hope must be restored.
Photo Credit: PAHO/WHO support for crisis in Haiti by Pan American Health Organization, PAHO. Licensed under CC BY NC ND 2.0. The security crisis in recent weeks has made it difficult for us to work with internally displaced people in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area to support health authorities. – United Nations OCHA. 19 March 2024
Author Note: If you would like to support humanitarian efforts in Haiti, organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, ICRC, World Central Kitchen (WCK), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and Haitian-led NGOs are actively working on the ground.
Atrocity Prevention Lens
The systematic targeting of civilians through gang violence, forced displacement, and obstruction of essential services elevates Haiti’s crisis into a potential atrocity context. Monitoring violence, displacement patterns, and food insecurity is critical for early identification of crimes against humanity and other mass atrocities. Coordinated international support can reduce civilian vulnerability and prevent escalation.
Legal Framework
International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
IHL protects civilians during conflict, prohibiting violence, forced displacement, and attacks on essential services. Parties controlling territory must ensure access to food, water, and medical care, as outlined in the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols.
Human Rights Law
Haiti’s crisis engages core human rights protections, including the rights to life, security, health, and adequate food, as enshrined in international treaties and customary law. Systematic violations by armed groups may constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute.
UN and International Oversight
The UN, ICRC, WFP, and other humanitarian actors are mandated to support vulnerable populations. International bodies can use monitoring, reporting, and targeted sanctions to pressure responsible actors while providing life-saving aid.
About TGR
The Genocide Report (TGR) publishes analysis and educational resources on conflict, international law, and atrocity prevention. Its work seeks to bridge academic research, field realities, and public understanding of mass violence and civilian protection.
About the Author
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, a Washington, DC-based educational nonprofit focused on atrocity prevention and international law. She is the author of several field-based books on conflict, displacement, humanitarian crises, and international humanitarian law, drawing on extensive research and field experience in Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan. Her writing and public speaking focus on atrocity crimes, forced displacement, the protection of civilians, and the legal frameworks governing armed conflict.