WASHINGTON, DC — AS gang violence continues to sweep across Haiti, the United Nations is raising fresh concern over the rising levels of gender-based violence in the impoverished nation.
For the first nine months of the year, the UN confirmed roughly 7,400 cases—an average of 27 incidents per day. The figures were released shortly after global recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence.
Humanitarian officials on the ground say survivors and those most at risk have very limited access to essential support services, due largely to insecurity, limited access, and ongoing funding shortfalls.
During a recent press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, revealed that sexual violence accounted for just over half of all recorded cases—about 3,700—with nearly two-thirds involving gang rape, roughly 2,500 cases.
“Two out of every three victims were displaced people,” Dujarric noted.
Despite the scale of the crisis, humanitarian partners were able to reach only seven percent of the 833,000 people in need of specialized gender-based violence support—just about 54,000 individuals in total.
Dujarric warned that the response remains critically underfunded, with a $13.5 million gap, representing 70 percent of the required resources for the year.
"If that funding is not received, nearly 780,000 women and girls – including survivors of gender-based violence and those at risk, will go without these critical services, including the clinical management of rape, mental health and psychosocial support, case management, legal assistance, safe spaces for women and girls, and dignity kits,” he said.
The UN also highlighted that persistent insecurity continues to block many survivors—including persons with disabilities and women in remote communities—from receiving timely and confidential assistance.
Between January and September, more than 32,000 information and awareness sessions were conducted across Haiti, and 560 frontline workers received specialized training as part of efforts to respond to the crisis.
