The number of children in Haiti Recruitment by armed groups has jumped 70 percent over the past year, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned Sunday, children representing nearly half of gang members.

Haiti has suffered from decades of political instability, but in recent months the Caribbean country has seen a surge in violence. violence gangs now control 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince.

“The unprecedented spike, recorded between the second quarters of 2023 and 2024, indicates a worsening child protection crisis on this violence-plagued Caribbean island,” UNICEF said in a statement.

“Currently, almost half of the members of armed groups are children.”

The increase in child recruitment has been fueled by escalating violence, widespread poverty, lack of education and the near collapse of critical infrastructure, the statement said.

“In Haiti, children are trapped in a vicious cycle: they are recruited into armed groups that fuel their desperation, and their numbers are increasing,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in the press release. .

“This unacceptable trend must be reversed by ensuring that the safety and well-being of children is a priority for all parties. »

(AFP)