Haiti Under Gang Control: The Uprising of Sexual Violence

The Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is in charge of co-chairing the protection sector alongside the “Office du Protecteur du Citoyen” in Haiti. Concerned about serious allegations of human rights violations and abuses, OHCHR under the supervision of the Director, Mr. Arnaud Royer, undertook an in-depth protection assessment mission in November 2021.

The objective was to understand the global environment and conditions of people living in areas controlled by the gangs including the protection risks that they are facing, their access to basic services and the capacity of humanitarian organisations to assist them. The team met with over 50 partners of civil society, government representatives, agencies, international non-governmental organisations, local organisations and services providers.

In an interview with the Global Protection Cluster (GPC), Mr. Royer, who has a wide experience working in conflict situations, shares his concerns about the deterioration of the protection situation in gang-controlled areas and its impact on individuals and communities – outlining three concrete actions that we can collectively take to avoid the situation quickly escalating:

1. Raise the profile of Haiti
2. Reorient the international posture
3. Bring security to the city so people are safe

Authors:

Arnaud Royer, Director, Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Haiti

Marie-Emilie Dozin, Global Protection Cluster