On Thursday, November 20, 2025, International Children's Rights Day, UNICEF observed that the situation of children in Haiti is deplorable and that early childhood is under severe strain.

According to data from a report by SOS Children's Villages published by UNICEF last October, more than half a million displaced children are expected by 2025, many of whom have been abandoned by their families and are vulnerable to negative influences.

In 2024, UNICEF reported an increase of up to 1,000% in cases of sexual violence perpetrated against children in Haiti. In addition to rape, some children suffered mutilation at the hands of gangs.

By allowing armed groups to freely recruit children, the State has failed to protect these children, who will later become perpetrators themselves.

It is essential that protection actors and the Haitian state take action to protect children in Haiti, guaranteeing their fundamental rights and well-being, whether they are repatriated, internally displaced, or living with their parents. We cannot hope for a better society if we do not provide our children with an environment conducive to their physical and mental development.

IH/ S/ iciHaiti