Kidnapping of women and children in Haiti
GHRTV
09-08-2023
Laura Hochheim Thomé
Women’s Rights Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
The current insecurity, political instability, and violence situation in Haiti is increasingly deteriorating. Gang violence progressively rose after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. It is estimated that around 5.2 million people and around three million children, which corresponds to almost half of Haiti's entire population, are in need of humanitarian aid (UNICEF, 2023), and about 73,500 people fled the country last year due to increasing violence and poverty, according to UNHCR (Guerra, 2023). As armed groups oppress and terrorise the population through murders, kidnappings, and sexual violence, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, children and women are the direct targets (UN, 2023).
According to the Report of the Secretary-General from 3 July 2023, around 1,014 kidnappings were noted by authorities in Haiti from January to June, where 256 were women, 13 girls, and 24 boys (Akbarzai, 2023; United Nations Security Council, 2023). Further on, UNICEF research estimates that approximately 300 kidnapping incidents have been reported this year, which is almost the entire amount documented for 2022 and three times higher than in 2021 (UNICEF, 2023). In addition, the Centre for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince tracked more than 539 cases reported since January (Charles, 2023). As seen, even though there is an estimation of abductions, the number varies across organisations. The real number is actually unknown because many kidnappings go unreported due to fear of retaliation by armed groups.
The Caribbean nation's condition is catastrophic, particularly for women and children, as they are taken by armed groups and used for financial or tactical reasons (UNICEF, 2023). One of the recent cases that had gone public was Alix Dorsainvil, a U.S. citizen nurse, and her daughter that were abducted on July 27 at the humanitarian aid organisation El Roi Haiti in Port-au-Prince (Charles, 2023). Fortunately, on August 9, both of them had been released. In light of this rising crisis, UNICEF's Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean affirms:
"Women and children are not commodities. They are not bargaining chips. And they must never be exposed to such unimaginable violence. The growing trend in kidnappings and abductions is extremely worrisome, threatening both the people of Haiti and those who have come to help.” (UNICEF, 2023)
However, even after being released, the trauma, distress, and physical and psychological scars remain. Victims are often scared to establish contact with family in order to protect them, or they are ashamed of what happened to them when they were abducted. Duvillier, Regional Chief of Communication of UNICEF, said: "We have experience of girls being held for months in captivity, living with the armed groups being threatened, different forms of violence... It varies from one person to another (Charles, 2023). The imposed violence by armed gangs aggravates the humanitarian, human rights, and socioeconomic conditions in a society already plagued by poverty, disease, and natural disasters (Al Jazeera, 2023; UN, 2023). In this sense, UNICEF stated that it has increased its efforts in Haiti, collaborating with the police to provide support and, in some cases, housing for liberated victims.
Sources and further readings:
Akbarzai, S. (August 09, 2023). US nurse and daughter released after being kidnapped in Haiti. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/09/americas/haiti-us-nurse-daughter-freed-intl/index.html
Al Jazeera (August 07, 2023).‘Extremely worrisome’: Kidnappings of women, children surge in Haiti. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/7/extremely-worrisome-kidnappings-of-women-children-surge-in-haiti
Charles J. (August 07, 2023). Kidnappings of women, children spiking in Haiti where a U.S. nurse, daughter remain captive. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article278033478.html
Guerra, M. (August 08, 2023). Violence escalates in Haiti, 300 women and children kidnapped in six months. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2023-08/violence-escalates-in-haiti-300-women-and-children-kidnapped.html#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20Children's%20Fund%2C%20UNICEF%2C%20has%20sounded%20the%20alarm,and%20triple%20that%20of%202021
UN (August 07, 2023). ‘Haiti: ‘Unimaginable violence’ against women, children, reports UNICEF. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1139487
UNICEF (August 07, 2023). Kidnappings of children and women spiking at alarming rates in Haiti. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from https://www.unicef.org/haiti/en/press-releases/kidnappings-children-and-women-spiking-alarming-rates-haiti-unicef
United Nations Security Council (July 03, 2023). United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, Report of the Secretary-General. Retrieved on August 09, 2023, from
