Rape is a guerrilla weapon of war in Haiti

One of those opportunities is reopening Izay Janti Maternity Hospital, located in Cité Soleil, One of the most conflicted areas in Port-au-Prince. This initiative is being promoted by the government of Haiti and Doctors Without Borders, whose presence on the island is threatened by the spiral of chaos and gang violence that UN forces are now trying to appease.

At least 5,601 murders were recorded last year, an increase of more than 1,000 victims compared to 2023. This equates to an annual homicide rate of about 48 victims per 100,000 inhabitants. In the first half of 2025 in Haiti, more than 4,000 people have already been killed.

The women in Cité Soleil are subjected to the worst ordeal: they are raped by gang members, become pregnant, and then do not have the opportunity to give birth under minimal sanitary conditions. A spiral of disaster in a country mired in perpetual war between law enforcement forces, always limited, and armed groups.

Increase in sexual violence

According to official data, about 60% of births in Port-au-Prince take place without medical assistance, which increases the risk of complications such as bleeding, infections and high blood pressure, which is one of the main causes of maternal death.

“The project began a year ago in this hospital, which is considered the most important in the field of maternal and child health care in Port-au-Prince, a university hospital that was closed after a gang attack. He explained to ABC that the government closed it to protect staff and patients. Diana Manila Arroyo, MSF coordinator in Haiti.

“We offer the Sexual Violence Help service because we realize it is very important given the number of inquiries we receive. Manila Arroyo added: “In Port-au-Prince, sexual violence has been increasing since 2021 and we have seen a very important and negative change: when gang members arrive in a new area, it is common for them to enter people’s homes and rape women, everyone, from young to old.”

The dispute over control of the Haitian capital is essentially between two large countries Criminal groups: G9 Family and Allies and G-PEP, A union of gangs that aims, directly, to replace the state.

Both groups have ties to political factions. According to the analyst Robert Muggahwho is investigating Haiti for several UN agencies, the gangs have ambitions to create a governing council to run the country, and want help electing its members so they can exercise governmental control.

Susanna SottoliRecently, the Director of the United Nations Population Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean noted that “9% of women in Haiti experience some form of sexual violence, and of all complaints received, approximately 80% refer to sexual violence.”

Sottoli said: “This war is taking place in a battle theater that is the woman’s body, and sexual violence, especially sexual violence, is at this moment the weapon and tool of war most used by these armed gangs.”

During a joint mission to Haiti from 15 to 18 October 2024, Sottoli and the Regional Director of UN Women, Maria Noelle FaizaIt was estimated that sexual violence had increased significantly and that reported cases had increased fivefold in the first quarter of 2024, especially rape cases.

Kidnappings

In parallel, the kidnapping and displacement of women, often with their children, is another daily postcard in a country where the state cannot provide the most basic benefits, including health.

According to Médecins Sans Frontières, since the beginning of the year, attendance at the Ezai Janti Maternity Hospital has not stopped growing: the number of antenatal consultations rose from 56 in January to 547 in July, while births increased from 10 in April to 134 in August, and nearly 220 survivors of sexual violence were treated between March and September. The opening of the temporary operating room allowed 18 surgeries to be performed in July, 37 in August, and 45 in September. The next step is to open two additional permanent operating rooms.

“Instead of opening an MSF hospital, we decided to support the state in reopening this maternity hospital,” says Manila Arroyo. “We realize that it is a key structure because gynecologists, midwives and general practitioners are trained here, and the first thing we did was to rehabilitate the hospital, which was without maintenance.”

The UN special force that tried to contain the violence in Haiti was a joint initiative between the United States and Panama, and both Russia and China declined to join. In principle, it is a contingent of army and police that must confront more than 200 gangs operating on the island. The initial mandate of this special force, which is already carrying out operations on the island, is twelve months. A year to try to regain a little normalcy.