Released on Tuesday, the new report highlights that at least 5,626 people have been killedBINUH noted that no officers have undergone vetting since June 2023, reflecting a deep-seated lack of supervision.
Child exploitation
Haiti has also experienced a 150 per cent surge in kidnappings with gangs increasingly targeting children.
The report raised alarm over widespread sexual violence, with at least 94 cases of rape and sexual exploitation documented in the last quarter alone.
Women and girls remain particularly vulnerable in gang-controlled areas, where they are subjected to systemic abuse.
Additionally, child trafficking and forced recruitment by armed groups continue to rise.
UNICEF has warned of a 70 per cent increase in child soldiers, with boys as young as 12 being used for kidnappings, armed confrontations and extortion.
Judicial failures
Despite the scale of the crisis, Haiti’s judicial system remains paralysed.
While some efforts were made in late 2024 – including appointments to key judicial posts – progress on high-profile massacres and corruption cases remains slow.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé ordered investigations into the Pont Sondé and Wharf Jérémie massacres, yet no arrests or judicial actions had been taken by the end of the year.
International response
The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasised the critical need to restore the rule of law and called on the international community to ensure the full deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS).
The UN has also urged regional governments to intensify inspections of arms shipments destined for Haiti, in line with Security Council resolutions.
With over one million people displaced and a humanitarian catastrophe continue to unfold, urgent international intervention is seen as vital to stabilising the country.