Developments in Haiti

It should be noted that, pursuant to Security Council resolution 1780(2007), the Security Council recognizes the grave violations committed against children affected by the armed violence in Haiti; and requests for their continued protection as set out in Security Council resolution 1612(2005). Following military operations by the Haitian National Police (HNP) and MINUSTAH since December 2006, as well as the arrest of several gang leaders and dismantling of armed entities, security conditions have improved, especially in areas affected by armed violence, such as Cité Soleil and Martissant in Port-au-Prince. These armed entities vary in organizational structure, activities, motivation and degree of political affiliation. According to MINUSTAH, although these groups are currently essentially criminal in nature, their character and motivations may shift between criminal and political depending on the specific time and circumstances, and may pose a threat to peace and security.

However, it has been challenging to ascribe definite responsibility for violations to specific parties due to a large number of actors involved, fragmentation of groups and the difficulty of distinguishing the identity of one group from another. However, the UN at the country-level has reliable information that the parties named below have been involved in the recruitment and use of children. During the reporting period*, there were confirmed reports that children have been used as messengers, spotters, attackers, and porters to transfer and hide weapons, as well as for kidnappings. Moreover, children have been directly targeted as a group. In the reporting period*, 12 children, including a girl, were killed and eight children, including four boys and four girls, were injured in Cité Soleil and Martissant. Armed entities in Cité Soleil have also used schools as bases during the armed confrontations with MINUSTAH forces at the end of January and the beginning of February 2007.

There were approximately 119 cases of child abductions in the reporting period*. Although the majority of these cases occurred in Port-au-Prince in 2006, an increasing number of cases were reported from the regions in 2007. Gang rape and other sexual violence against girls and women are still extensively perpetrated by groups in Cite Soleil, Martissant and Carrefour Feuilles. Due to the lack of official and aggregated data, the number of cases reported is indicative of a larger phenomenon of sexual violence against girls in Haiti. According to a UN partner, approximately 100 rape cases of children were registered from October 2006 to January 2007.

Press Releases by the Special Representative

• UN Special Representative calls for child protection after unprecedented increase of children abductions (21 December 2006)

* Information based on the 2007 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/62/609-S/2007/757) issued on 21 December 2007