In Haiti, 73 women, children and girls have suffered gang violence in the last quarter of 2020, UNICEF warned.
The United Nations Organization reported that violence against women, girls and boys grew 62% in relation to the previous year.
“Children and women in Haiti are no longer merely the victims of criminal gangs —they are increasingly becoming their targets”, warns Jean Gough, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbea
Between September 2020 and February 2021, the number of children and women victims of armed attacks allegedly attributed to criminal gangs in Haiti rose from 45 to 73 incidents, including murders, injuries, rapes and kidnappings, according to the United Nations.
“Whether kidnappings, rapes or even killings, more and more incidents of gang violence have involved children and women in the past few weeks and months. This recent upsurge is fuelling insecurity in the impoverished country.”
At least 31 children have been kidnapped between 2020 and 2021, according to data from the Haitian Brigade for the Protection of Minors (BPM).
Insecurity in this country makes it increasingly difficult for children to access education and other basic services. About 60 percent of all Haitian schools were closed for 60 days due to violent social unrest during the 2019-2020 school year, according to UNICEF data.
Instead this year, increasing gang violence and insecurity prevented many boys and girls from attending school in various urban areas in and around Port-au-Prince.
“Violence in communities is unacceptable. Gang violence must be stopped. Week after week, criminal gangs in Haiti are expanding their reign of terror and fear on more families and more communities. Keeping children safe should be the top priorities of the new Haitian government.” said Jean Gough.
Source: UNICEF
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