News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Jan. 15, 2025: News Americas, New York, NY, January 15, 2025: Care to take a wild guess at how many people have been displaced in Haiti due to gang violence there?

If you guessed over 1 million, you are correct. Children comprise at least half of Haiti’s displaced population, which has surged to over one million, tripling within the past year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Tuesday.

haiti-gang-violence
Relatives grieve at a funeral ceremony for Daniel Raynaud, a police officer, killed on December 24, 2024, by armed gangs during the attack on the General Hospital while it was reopened, in Port-au-Prince on January 11, 2025. Two journalists covering the reopening of the hospital in the Haitian capital and Raynaud were shot dead in an attack by gang members, a local media collective and authorities said. (Photo by Clarens SIFFROY / AFP) (Photo by CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP via Getty Images)

The rise in displacement stems from escalating gang violence, which has devastated the nation, particularly in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The relentless violence has led to the collapse of healthcare and essential services, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

The IOM’s latest data indicates that as of now, 1,041,000 people—many of whom have been displaced multiple times—are struggling to survive in dire conditions. The figure marks a dramatic increase from the 315,000 displaced in December 2023. Children, who account for over half of the internally displaced population, are among the most vulnerable.

The crisis has been exacerbated by the forced return of approximately 200,000 individuals to Haiti, mostly from the neighboring Dominican Republic. Both nations share the island of Hispaniola, but mounting challenges in Haiti have made reintegration for returnees nearly impossible.

Gang violence in Haiti has intensified since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, leaving armed groups in control of much of Port-au-Prince. The arrival of a UN-backed multinational security force in June 2024 has done little to stem the violence.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, over 5,600 people were killed in Haiti last year, a 20% increase compared to 2023. As the crisis continues, urgent action is required to address the displacement and restore safety for the Haitian people.

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