UN reports sharp rise in gender-based violence in Haiti amid large-scale displacement

The United Nations said humanitarian partners in Haiti reported a sharp rise in gender-based violence amid worsening insecurity and large-scale displacement, the UN spokesperson said.

Partners reported more than 3,800 incidents of gender-based violence between January and May of this year, the spokesperson said, noting a 41% increase between April and May alone, when cases rose from nearly 2,700 to more than 3,800. The vast majority of incidents were reportedly perpetrated by armed men and internally displaced people account for more than 60 percent of survivors.

Sexual violence represented nearly half of all reported violations, the spokesperson said, and roughly half of those sexual-violence cases involved collective rapes. Most attacks occurred in homes and on the street. The Centre department recorded the sharpest increase, with over a 50% rise since April, linked to recent displacement waves.

Humanitarian partners are providing referrals and medical and psychosocial support, but protection services remain critically underfunded and access to care is severely limited, the briefing said. The spokesperson noted that the 2025 humanitarian appeal is severely underfunded: the $908,000,000 2025 humanitarian response plan is only 8% funded with $75 million available, and the UN warned more resources are needed to prevent further harm to vulnerable populations.