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A top United Nations official has revealed that over 50% of Haiti’s gang members are now children.

Getting into it: UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell described the situation as “alarming,” stating that “children currently account for a staggering 50 percent of the members of the armed groups active today.” She added, “Children are being forced into combat roles, directly participating in armed confrontations,” she told the UN Security Council. “Others are being used as couriers, lookouts, porters to carry weapons, or are exploited for domestic labor.”

The UN reported that the recruitment and use of children by armed groups in Haiti surged by 700% in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year. This increase has been accompanied by a dramatic rise in human rights violations against minors, with over 2,000 violations recorded in 2024.

The violence has been intensifying since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, creating a power vacuum that gangs have exploited to expand their control—particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where as much as 90% of the city is now under gang influence. The collapse of security has forced 1.3 million people from their homes, with children representing half of the displaced.

In response to the crisis, the UN and several member states are pushing for an enhanced international security effort. A previous Kenyan-led mission deployed under a UN mandate has struggled with limited resources and manpower. Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea announced a new proposal for a dedicated “gang suppression force” and a UN Support Office to provide logistical and operational backing. “This will ensure the mission has the tools at its disposal to take the fight to the gangs,” Shea said, stressing the need for sustainable resourcing, territorial control, and coordination with Haiti’s national police. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also urged tougher enforcement of the arms embargo, noting that most weapons in the hands of Haitian gangs are trafficked from Florida.

This all comes as Vectus Global, led by former Blackwater founder Erik Prince, begins operations in Haiti amid the ongoing collapse of national security. The private security firm started deploying in March and has primarily used drones as part of its efforts to combat gang activity. Prince, who has ties to President Trump, has long advocated for privatized military solutions in conflict zones.