The Alarming Situation of Haitian Women in the Face of Gang Violence

12/11/2023

Written by: Clara Delhaye

Translated by: Lou Szabo

On 22 September, the Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, told the United Nations General Assembly of the difficulties faced by the Haitian people: growing insecurity, poor health, and lack of access to food^[1]General Assembly (22 September 2023), Statement of his excellency Ariel Henry Prime Minister. https://gadebate.un.org/en/78/haiti. The capital, Port-au-Prince, is plagued by violence, due to the omnipresence of gangs and their actions. The population is the first to suffer, especially women, who are subjected to various forms of violence and are particularly exposed to growing insecurity. Thus, we need to ask ourselves whether a stable security situation is possible for Haitian women, and if so, how it can be achieved.

The Haitian multi-crisis and its grave consequences for Haitian women

Since the earthquake of 12 January 2010, Haiti has been facing an unprecedented multi-crisis situation. The economic and humanitarian situation is particularly complex. The country has been unable to recover from the earthquake, not least because of other natural crises that occurred after 2010, such as Hurricane Matthew in 2017. Some authors, such as researcher Tonia Warnecke, believe that the earthquake has highlighted the country’s poverty, as well as gender inequalities^[2]Padgett, A. & Warnecke, T. (2014), Diamonds in the Rubble: The Women of Haiti Institutions, Gender Equity and Human Development in Haiti, Journal of Economic Issues, 45, 527-558, … Continue reading. According to Professor Lynn Horton, the earthquake hit women particularly hard, as they had to deal with gender-based and sexual violence. Furthermore, they faced exclusion and difficulties in accessing financial aid, even though they had to continue in their role as income providers for their families^[3]Horton, L. (2012), After the earthquake: gender inequality and transformation in post-disaster Haiti, Gender & Development, vol 20, 295-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2012.693284.

Faced with this situation, the country should have integrated women into its development strategies^[4]Padgett, A. & Warnecke, T. (2014), Diamonds in the Rubble: The Women of Haiti Institutions, Gender Equity and Human Development in Haiti, Journal of Economic Issues, 45, 527-558, … Continue reading and ensured that the country rebuilt itself with them, however, this has not been the case. Generally speaking, the failure to resolve health and humanitarian crises and the increasing number of them are creating ever greater insecurity in the country^[5]Rocio, C. & Roy, D. (3 October 2023), Haiti’s Troubled Path to Development, CFR. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/haitis-troubled-path-development. Political and security instability was reinforced by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021^[6]AFP, (15 février 2023), Assassinat du président haïtien Jovenel Moïse : quatre hommes arrêtés aux États-Unis, France24.com, … Continue reading, which led to a resurgence of the violence which already existed in Haiti. He was replaced by interim president Ariel Henry, Jovenel Moïse’s prime minister, but he is considered illegitimate by part of the population as he was not elected.

Jovenel Moïse was accused of corruption and inaction against the expansion of drug trafficking^[7]Abi-Habib, M. (23 août 2021), Enquête. Assassinat du président haïtien Jovenel Moïse : la piste du trafic de drogue, courrierinternational.com, … Continue reading. His death has given way to a real increase in gangs^[8]Mart, B. & Vidal, P. (8 octobre 2023), Comment les gangs ont pris le contrôle d’Haïti ? Comprendre en trois minutes, Le Monde, … Continue reading, even though they have been around since the 1950s. They are taking advantage of the country’s current instability and currently control around 80% of Port-au-Prince^[9]Mougin, S. (16 Agust 2023), Thousands of Haitians Flee Gang Violence in Port-au-Prince District, France24.com, … Continue reading. Clashes between gangs have a particular impact on the population, who are also targeted, causing large-scale displacement of civilians from one district to another.

The health situation is compounded by the crises mentioned above. A study carried out by the Population Impact Assessment 2020 on HIV in Haiti notes that “among adults (15-64 years), HIV prevalence varied from 0.3% among adolescent girls aged 15-19 to 4.5% among women aged 45-49, and from 0.1% among adolescents aged 15-19 to 2.8% among men aged 55-59″^[10]PHIA Projet, (February 2022), Summary Sheet : Haiti Population Based HIV Impact Assessment. … Continue reading. While these statistics give an idea of the seriousness of the situation among women and men, “HIV prevalence was significantly higher among women aged 25 to 29 than among men in the same age group”^[11]PHIA Projet, (February 2022), Summary Sheet : Haiti Population Based HIV Impact Assessment. … Continue reading. In order to gain a better understanding of the extent and spread of the virus, an HIV surveillance system called Suivi Actif Longitudinal du VIH en Haïti (SALVH) has been set up^[12]Delcher C. & Robin, E. (2020), Haiti’s HIV Surveillance System: Past, Present, and Future, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 103, 1372-1375. … Continue reading. Of the 356,000 people diagnosed, 217,000 are women, i.e. around 60%^[13]Index of the SALVH. https://salvh.mesi.ht/radar/index.html in August 2023.

The country is therefore experiencing a “feminisation of HIV”^[14]ONUSIDA, (29 juin 2023), Soutenir les femmes et les filles touchées par la violence des gangs en Haïti. https://www.unaids.org/fr/keywords/haiti. According to UNAIDS, this feminisation can be explained in part by sexual violence initiated by gangs who do not use protection. Several testimonies gathered by the NGO show the correlation between sexual violence against women by gangs and HIV-related health problems.

Despite this situation, which shows that women are being put at real risk, there is a deplorable lack of information, awareness, and access to means of protection. Various researchers published a study in 2022 on the prevention of HIV transmission^[15]Kiragu, A. Fanor, J., Joseph, G. & al. (2023), Prevalence and factors associated with condom use among sexually active young women in Haiti: evidence from the 2016/17 Haiti demographic and health … Continue reading. They recommended raising condom awareness among young girls and boys. In their study, only 15.4% of the teenagers questioned used a condom during sexual intercourse^[16]Kiragu, A. Fanor, J., Joseph, G. & al. (2023), Prevalence and factors associated with condom use among sexually active young women in Haiti: evidence from the 2016/17 Haiti demographic and health … Continue reading. Since the end of 2022, women victims of sexual violence by gangs and local associations specialising in sexual violence and sexual prevention have joined forces with UNAIDS to create a partnership aimed at reducing the spread of HIV in Haiti^[17]ONUSIDA, (29 juin 2023), Soutenir les femmes et les filles touchées par la violence des gangs en Haïti. https://www.unaids.org/fr/keywords/haiti. According to the director of UNAIDS, the aim is to “support an integrated health response for women and girls so severely affected by gang violence and socio-economic inequalities”^[18]ONUSIDA, (29 juin 2023), Soutenir les femmes et les filles touchées par la violence des gangs en Haïti. https://www.unaids.org/fr/keywords/haiti.

While security, health and political problems affect the entire Haitian population, they particularly affect women because of the sexual and gender-based violence to which they are subjected by gangs.

The Spread of Sexual Violence Against Haitian Women as a Weapon of Terror

In 2011, Ju Hon Kang published an article on violence against women in Haiti^[19]Kang, J. (2011), The Hidden Epidemic: Violence against Women in Haiti, Honors thesis, Duke University, https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/handle/10161/3738. According to the author, violence against women was already present in the country, but the climate of insecurity allowed two social mechanisms to take root: the crisis of masculinity and the feminisation of insecurity. The use of sexual violence by gangs strengthens the masculinity of gangs and plunges women into a climate of constant fear, and this pattern has been perpetuated ever since. Indeed, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2022 stated that the purpose of sexual violence is “to sow fear and inflict individual and collective trauma, with the ultimate aim of extending and consolidating their control over certain areas and local populations”^[20]UNHCR, (octobre 2022), Violence sexuelle à Port-au-Prince : Une arme utilisée par les gangs pour répandre la peur. … Continue reading^[21]UNHCR, (octobre 2022), Violence sexuelle à Port-au-Prince : Une arme utilisée par les gangs pour répandre la peur. … Continue readingIn this sense, sexual violence is a way for gangs to control the population, which is why they continue to use it. It is also a weapon for “punishing the population”^[22]UNFPA, (juin 2023), Adressing Gender-based violence in Haiti. … Continue reading. This strategy is part of the logic of using sexual violence as a weapon of war to maintain instability and destroy existing communities. Such violence is recognised as a war crime by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court^[23]ONU Rwanda, (2014), Preventing genocide. https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/assets/pdf/BackgrounderSexualViolence2014.pdf, particularly when perpetrated by armed groups such as gangs.

Two types of sexual and gender-based violence are particularly used by gangs^[24]UNHCR, (octobre 2022), Violence sexuelle à Port-au-Prince : Une arme utilisée par les gangs pour répandre la peur. … Continue reading. 

Firstly, kidnapping: UNICEF estimates that 300 minors and adult women have been kidnapped since the beginning of 2023^[25]UNICEF, (7 August 2023), Kidnappings of children and women spiking at alarming rates in Haiti, unicef.org,  … Continue reading. They are subjected to sexual violence, used as bargaining chips, and considered as “prizes” since the gangs choose young girls who are close to the front line or who live in neighbourhoods that are not yet controlled in order to take possession of territories. They are sometimes killed. These crimes are part of a tactic to control and take over territory. Since 2021, the opposition has taken the view that these abductions are state kidnappings^[26]Milfort, M. (2022), Enlèvement en Haïti piégés par la peur. Contectas. https://www.connectas.org/especiales/violencia-secuestro-en-haiti/fr/ in the sense that they serve the government by creating a climate of fear, preventing the population from demonstrating for fear of reprisals; however, this position is more the result of a desire to destabilise the government. 

Another form of violence that is particularly common is gang rape. The UNHCR’s October 2022 report mentions gang rapes that are sometimes public, particularly in front of the women’s relatives. The aim of this kind of collective and public practice is to “teach a lesson” and to control through fear, to humiliate, but also to marginalise young girls from both their family and their neighbourhood. The gangs target both the population and the families of rival gangs. Older women are also targeted in order to break the social fabric and the respect due to them in Haitian society^[27]Damus, O. (2019), The Rapes in Haiti: Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Sexual Crimes, Études caribéennes, 42. https://doi.org/10.4000/etudescaribeennes.22958. This desire to destroy the social and family fabric is also reflected in the rapes of LGBTQIA+ women, who are particularly vulnerable and stigmatised. The gang rapes of these women are said to have a curative purpose^[28]UNHCR, (octobre 2022), Violence sexuelle à Port-au-Prince : Une arme utilisée par les gangs pour répandre la peur. … Continue reading: as is often the case with violence against LGBTQIA+ people, the aim is to “cure” them so that they become straight again. 

The issue of sexual violence against women and girls also arises in displacement camps, and in 2011 the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) warned of this phenomenon^[29]Communiqué de l’OIM, (17 mai 2011), Lutter contre les violences sexuelles envers les femmes et les jeunes filles dans les camps de déplacement d’Haïti. … Continue reading. In 2020, women and girls accounted for 56% of internal migrants and 46% of external migrants^[30]Podcast, Migration Crisis in Haiti, (10 décembre 2021), Violence Against Women in the Context of the Migration Crisis in Haiti. … Continue reading.

Haitian Women’s Rights as National and International Responses Falter

In order to deal with these situations of violence, a two-stage international response has been put in place.

Firstly, with the creation of MINUSTAH in 2004^[31]Résolution 1542 du Conseil de sécurité (2004). https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/520532?ln=fr, which had three main missions: to re-establish a stable climate, to enable a political process and, finally, to strengthen the rule of law, particularly through the promotion of human rights. According to researcher Mariana Cabrera Figueroa, “Haiti has succeeded in rebuilding its infrastructure and democracy in a more peaceful environment. However, it has failed in the humanitarian aspect of its own mission”^[32]Cabrera Figueroa, M. (2023), Peacekeeping in Haiti: Successes and Failures, Boston University, … Continue reading. This increased the insecurity of the women and accentuated the current health problem. MINUSTAH has now ended, and from 2017 to 2019 will be replaced by MINUJUSTH^[33]Résolution 2350 du Conseil de sécurité (2017). https://minujusth.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/sc_r_2350_f_0.pdf, which will focus on law and order^[34]Communiqué ONU, (2019), Clôture de la MINUJUSTH. https://minujusth.unmissions.org.

There are currently no international peacekeeping operations on Haitian soil. In response to this “abandonment” by the international community, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has called for a new mission to be sent to the United Nations General Assembly. This request is supported by Antonio Guterres, and the UN Security Council is expected to meet soon to set up a new multinational mission with the aim of ensuring peace and security in the country^[35]ONU Info (28 septembre 2023), Pourquoi Haïti réclame une nouvelle mission internationale, https://news.un.org/fr/story/2023/09/1139177">https://news.un.org/fr/story/2023/09/1139177. The issue is therefore complex, and there is a fine line between interference and humanitarian aid. To avoid any excesses, Human Rights Watch believes it is essential that the support provided should be political, security and legal^[36]RFI, (14 août 2023), Crise en Haïti : comment la communauté internationale peut-elle agir face à la violence des gangs, rfi.fr, … Continue reading.

Secondly, beyond the question of the UN presence, there is the question of the Dominican Republic, which has closed its borders to migrants from Haiti^[37]ONU Info, (18 septembre 2023), La fermeture de la frontière de la République dominicaine avec Haïti aura de graves conséquences, avertit un expert, news.un.org/fr. … Continue reading, fuelling the prevailing insecurity^[38]Hirtzmann, L. (03 septembre 2023), En République dominicaine, le calvaire des migrants haïtiens, Le Figaro. … Continue reading. This political decision risks creating a disastrous health and humanitarian situation and intensifying the violence. Although talks appear to be underway between the two states for the time being, and the borders were partially opened at the beginning of October^[39]Goston, P. (10 octobre 2023), La République Dominicaine rouvre partiellement sa frontière avec Haïti, rfi.fr. … Continue reading, the tension is palpable. The region needs to think collectively about protecting the Haitian population. A collective operation by Central and South America in support of Haiti could be an alternative to international aid. The emphasis should be on putting in place a real migration policy with the objective of defending human rights. However, as the Haitian government is currently unable to ensure the rule of law, its foreign policy is suffering. 

Internal governance is also affected by this situation. At national level, the Haitian state has a duty to make a political and financial contribution to guaranteeing women’s rights and protecting them from all forms of violence^[40]ACTED, (2021), ACTED supports 15 feminist organisations in Haiti, acted.org, https://www.acted.org/en/acted-supports-15-feminist-organisations-in-haiti/. Two initiatives have been taken in this direction. There was a draft law against gender-based violence proposed by the government in 2013 in response to public pressure. The aim was to amend the Penal Code to include a modern definition of rape, but also to provide a better framework for the prevention and punishment of sexual violence^[41]Bruno, E. (14 février 2013), Haïti-Genre : Un avant-projet de loi sur la violence faite aux femmes en cours d’élaboration, Altepresse. … Continue reading. The bill was accompanied by a national plan to combat gender-based violence for the period 2017-2027^[42]Toraasen, M. (2020), Women’s status in Haiti ten years after the earthquake, CMI Brief, https://www.cmi.no/publications/7263-womens-status-in-haiti-ten-years-after-the-earthquake. However, the plan has still not been implemented and the law has not been passed. This is due to a lack of human, technical and financial resources^[43]UNFPA, (juin 2023), Adressing Gender-based violence in Haiti. … Continue reading, but also to the State’s lack of interest in issues relating to gender-based violence, HIV, health assistance and prevention^[44]World Bank group, (2023), Haiti’s untapped potential: An assessment of the barriers to gender equality. … Continue reading.

Faced with this lack of interest, women are getting organised. The number of associations is growing, such as Solidarité des Organisations contre la Violence (SOCVI), Association des Femmes de Denis (AFD), Filles à Besoins Spéciaux pour la réforme (FIBESR), Marijàn… These associations have different aims, for example Marijàn’s mission is to get young girls into school and to raise public awareness of the need for feminist projects. Taken together, these associations provide a multifaceted and effective response to the crises facing the country’s women. However, the associations lack resources, and some NGOs such as ACTED provide them with human and financial support. Thus, they cannot sustain their actions with NGO support alone. 

The Need for Government Leadership in the Peace Process

Despite the strength of the various civilian actors, such as women, medical staff and associations, the Haitian government is not sufficiently interested in women, the violence they suffer or their effective participation in the peace process^[45]Toraasen, M. (2020), Women’s status in Haiti ten years after the earthquake, CMI Brief, https://www.cmi.no/publications/7263-womens-status-in-haiti-ten-years-after-the-earthquake. Various organisations stress the need for the State to be active, calling in particular for “more effective and inclusive humanitarian action that takes into account the differentiated effects of crises on women and enables the affected populations, in all their diversity, to better cope with and prepare for emergencies”^[46]OCHA, (29 mars 2021), Policy Instruction on Gender Equality 2021-2025. … Continue reading. The implementation of the UN multinational action will be an opportunity for the Haitian government to take these recommendations into consideration, because while peace is theoretically possible for Haitian women, there is still a long way to go, and it is urgent to support them.