UNICEF Reports Nearly 300 Kidnappings in Haiti in the First Six Months of 2023

Nearly 300 kidnappings have been reported in Haiti by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the first six months of the year. Most of the cases involve the most vulnerable citizens, especially women and children. As this ongoing violence keeps devastating innocent lives, the agency urgently calls for the immediate release and safe return of all those who have been kidnapped.

There are many different responsible parties involved in this dirty business, both in terms of the kidnapers and the victims. Forcefully taken as a weapon against opponent groups, children and women are often used for financial and tactical gains. For those who survive and are liberated, UNICEF provides them with medical care and psychological support so that they can begin the process of healing and recovery safely.

This number regards only the confirmed cases. As UNICEF critically points out, it is almost equal to the total number documented in 2022, and close to three times more than in 2021, when former President Jovenel Moïse and his wife were assassinated and armed groups started to fight for power, territory and control.

Today, the overall situation in Haiti is catastrophic with an estimated number of 5.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including almost three million children.