Save the Children warns of a “Generation Raised in Chaos” in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, Haiti.- Save the Children has raised alarm about the dire future facing a generation of Haitian children who continue to endure the lasting effects of the devastating 2010 earthquake and the escalating violence of armed gangs.

Fifteen years after the earthquake that killed over 200,000 people and displaced 1.3 million, many children still bear the scars of the disaster. According to the NGO, these children have faced repeated displacement, ongoing crises, and persistent interruptions to their education. Although some progress has been made in recovery, armed gang violence has severely stalled advancements, leaving children’s futures uncertain.

Chantal Sylvie Imbeault, the organization’s director in Haiti, highlighted that many families have been displaced multiple times over the past 15 years. Armed groups have turned Port-au-Prince into a “prison” for children, making basic activities like attending school or playing outside unsafe. Imbeault also noted that many of today’s gang leaders were children in 2010, whose futures were derailed by the earthquake, perpetuating a cycle of violence.

Save the Children is urging the international community to act swiftly, emphasizing education as a critical hope for Haitian children. The organization called for unrestricted access for humanitarian workers and supplies, stronger protection measures for children, and increased funding to combat hunger and malnutrition.

The situation remains dire, with United Nations data showing that in 2024 alone, 5,601 people were killed by gang violence in Haiti, 2,212 were injured, and 1,494 were kidnapped. Around 800,000 people remain internally displaced, as armed groups control 85% of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.