Haiti’s Spiraling Gang Violence Devastates Women’s Lives Amid National Crisis

Haiti’s hunger crisis has deepened. 5.7 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, and the situation is even more critical for female-headed households.

Haiti stands at a precipice. Months of escalating gang violence have pushed the Caribbean nation to the edge of collapse, with armed groups dominating large swathes of the capital, Port-au-Prince. As law and order disintegrate, mass displacement, sexual violence, and hunger are surging—wreaking especially severe consequences for women and girls.

Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis

Over 1 million Haitians, nearly 10% of the population, have been displaced as of early 2025. The capital has become a battleground, and in the absence of effective law enforcement, armed gangs now control many key neighborhoods. One stark example is the Marie-Jeanne school in Port-au-Prince, which has been transformed into a displacement site sheltering over 7,000 people in severely overcrowded conditions.

More than 55% of the displaced are women and children, many of whom fled with no belongings and now live in makeshift shelters lacking proper sanitation, food, or healthcare. According to humanitarian agencies, 47% of women and girls in Haiti will require humanitarian assistance this year.

Health Services and Care Work Collapse

The humanitarian emergency is compounded by the erosion of essential services. Over 900 schools and numerous health facilities have shut down due to insecurity. This disproportionately affects women, who are often the primary caregivers and now bear even greater burdens of unpaid care work. Their ability to access reproductive and maternal health services has also been significantly hindered.

Gender-Based Violence on the Rise

The absence of rule of law and the overcrowding of displacement camps have created fertile ground for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Women and girls are increasingly subjected to rape, gang rape, and sexual violence, particularly in areas where security and protection mechanisms are nonexistent.

UN reports reveal that women are the primary targets of sexual violence. Armed gang members often raid homes, targeting women and girls who remain behind during neighborhood attacks. Displacement shelters have not provided safety either—lack of lighting, privacy, and female-focused protection measures means that girls are especially vulnerable, even while walking streets in search of food or water.

Alarming Food Insecurity Among Female-Headed Households

Haiti’s hunger crisis has deepened. 5.7 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, and the situation is even more critical for female-headed households. An estimated 1 million such households face dangerously low food access.

As of early 2025, food insecurity among female-headed families has worsened compared to August 2024. In several regions:

• 65% of female-headed households in displacement camps face acute food insecurity.

• 60% in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.

• 50% in the Rest-of-West region.

• 40% in Artibonite.

This trend underscores the compounding vulnerabilities of women in crisis zones—where poverty, displacement, and violence intersect.

International Appeal and Urgent Recommendations

In light of this dire humanitarian situation, UN Women and other advocacy organizations are calling for a global, coordinated response to support Haitian women and girls. The key priorities include:

• Immediate food aid and cash assistance for female-headed households.

• Investment in income-generating activities to build women’s financial independence and resilience.

• Support for local women’s organizations to deliver services to survivors of violence and amplify advocacy efforts.

Looking Ahead

As Haiti’s humanitarian and security crisis worsens, there is an urgent need for the international community to act decisively. The needs of women and girls—who are most at risk and yet most often overlooked—must be prioritized through tailored interventions, funding, and protective policies.

Without such support, Haiti risks losing an entire generation of women and girls to violence, poverty, and systemic neglect.