This explainer examines the political and humanitarian impact of gang violence in Haiti, the challenges facing the MSS mission, and U.S. policy towards Haiti.

Gender-based violence is inextricably linked to the security crisis in Haiti. Addressing it should be as essential as confronting the gangs. A gender-sensitive approach must be woven into the MSS operation’s every action. Without definite, actionable steps to account for women, girls, and victims of gender-based violence, existing considerations risk becoming mere rhetoric, potentially condemning Haiti to yet another failed intervention.

A violência baseada em gênero está intrinsecamente ligada à crise de segurança no Haiti. Abordar esse problema deve ser tão essencial quanto enfrentar as gangues. Uma abordagem sensível ao gênero deve ser incorporada a todas as ações da operação de MSS. Sem medidas concretas e acionáveis para levar em conta as mulheres, as meninas e as vítimas de violência de gênero, as considerações existentes correm o risco de se tornarem mera retórica, potencialmente condenando o Haiti a mais uma intervenção fracassada.

La violencia de género está inextricablemente ligada a la crisis de seguridad en Haití. Abordarlo debería ser tan esencial como enfrentarse a las bandas. El enfoque de género debe estar presente en todas las acciones de la operación de SMS. Sin medidas concretas y viables para tener en cuenta a las mujeres, las niñas y las víctimas de la violencia de género, las consideraciones existentes corren el riesgo de convertirse en mera retórica, condenando potencialmente a Haití a otra intervención fallida.

In the wake of the announcement of a Kenyan police-security deployment to Haiti, public attention to the crisis the country is facing shifted from general appeals for multilateral action to concerns that the Kenyan deployment would not resolve the crisis—simultaneously debating the logic of a fourth international intervention in a span of three decades. A common variable throughout is that the crisis in Haiti is deepening, and that even with some conditionalities, most Haitians desperately want outside help.