Escalating trafficking and exploitation by criminal groups in Haiti

European Parliament resolution of 30 April 2026 on escalating trafficking and exploitation by criminal groups in Haiti (2026/2702(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas Haiti faces a collapse of state authority, with gangs controlling large swathes of territory; whereas gangs commit extortion, kidnappings and killings, and drive hunger, displacement and widespread violence; whereas at least 5 519 people were killed and at least 1 571 women and girls were victims of sexual violence between March 2025 and January 2026;

B.whereas most gangs are involved in child trafficking; whereas child recruitment reportedly tripled in 2025; whereas children reportedly account for up to 50 % of gang members; whereas school closures have deprived 1,5 million children of education;

C.whereas gangs use sexual violence to intimidate and control, disproportionately affecting women and girls;

D.whereas the humanitarian situation has reached unprecedented levels, with 1.45 million people displaced and over half the population facing acute food insecurity and a severely underfunded response;

E.whereas transnational crime, illicit arms flows, drug trafficking and money laundering fuel gang violence, trafficking and exploitation in Haiti;

F.whereas on 30 September 2025, the UN Security Council transformed the Multinational Security Support into the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), which remains underfunded and understaffed;

1.Strongly condemns the escalating violence perpetrated by criminal groups, the trafficking, recruitment and exploitation, including sexual exploitation, of children, and the forced displacement of civilians;

2.Calls for a disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration policy, also for children; stresses that children must not be criminalised for acts committed as a direct consequence of their exploitation, but recognised and assisted as victims; calls for access to medical care and legal protection for survivors of sexual violence and exploitation;

3.Calls on the Haitian authorities to prevent child trafficking by strengthening social protection, ensuring safe education, expanding psychosocial care and developing reintegration programmes, ensuring rights-based pathways out of violence;